Pediatric Dentist – Long Beach, NY
Specialized Pediatric Care For The Growing Smiles in Your Family
Do you have a child that needs a great pediatric dentist in Long Beach? When you visit our dental office, you’ll be able to schedule their appointments as well as your own, at the same time! Dr. Glen Shanock is a board-certified pediatric dentist with ample experience treating and preserving small, growing smiles. He offers pediatric dentistry in Long Beach, NY that help bust cavities as well as educate our young patients on how to properly care for their teeth and gums. That way, you can rest assured that your household is filled with thriving smiles.
Why Choose Dr. Glen’s Happy Teeth for Pediatric Dentistry?
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Board-Certified
Pediatric Dentist - High-Quality Care For Special Needs Patient
- Stop Cavities With Silver Diamine Fluoride
Children’s Checkups & Teeth Cleanings
Your child’s first experience at our dental office will most likely be their checkup and cleaning. That’s why our team aims to make the best possible impression during these routine appointments, encouraging your little one to get excited about coming back. We’ll examine their teeth and gums, looking for any signs of oral health problems. Then, if they feel comfortable, we’ll conduct a thorough cleaning of their teeth by scaling, flossing, and polishing them.
Dental Sealants
Some children are at a higher risk of developing cavities due to deeper grooves in their teeth or a pesky sweet tooth that can’t be tamed. In these situations, we’ll likely recommend dental sealants. These are clear shields that we can paint over their molars to prevent bacteria, plaque, and other harmful debris from building up and causing decay. The process is completely painless and fast, so your child won’t have to sit in the treatment chair for longer than necessary.
Silver Diamine Fluoride
Cavities are one of the most common oral health problems among children, because they’re still learning how to properly care for their smiles. If your child has one, we can use our silver diamine fluoride treatment to stop the current decay from progressing as well as prevent more cavities from forming in the future. The process is completely pain-free, non-invasive, and affordable, making it a popular choice among parents.
Learn More About Silver Diamine Fluoride
Athletic Mouthguards
Is your child an athlete that loves to take risks out on the field? Protective mouthguards are one of the most important pieces of safety gear for young athletes. Although many parents opt for boil-and-bite guards from the store, these often make it difficult for children to breathe while running and can be uncomfortable. Dr. Glen crafts custom-tailored children’s sportsguards from durable and cushioning materials that help avoid broken or knocked-out teeth.
Learn More About Athletic Mouthguards
Children’s Special Needs Dentistry
At Dr. Glen’s Happy Teeth, we love that every child is different, because it makes our jobs more fun! Children who have special needs deserve great care, and we’re happy to be the team to provide it to them. If your little one has a sensory, physical, developmental, behavioral, cognitive, or emotional impairment that makes sitting in a treatment chair for long periods of time and visiting a dental office difficult, we’ve got you covered. Our team is equipped with the experience and dental technology necessary to make children with special needs’ visits to our dental office as smooth and comfortable as possible.
Frenectomies/Lip & Tongue Tie
There are small connecting tissues in your mouth that attach everyone’s lips to their gums and the tongue to the floor of their mouth. When these are overgrown, they can prevent infants from easily latching to a nipple or commonly result in baby bottle tooth decay. Dr. Shanock uses a small dental laser to quickly and precisely remove excess tissue from your child’s mouth to make it easier for them to consume and digest milk and formula.
Learn MoreNon-Nutritive Habits
Habits like thumb-sucking and pacifier use are common among infants and children because they help them feel comforted. As they get older, these habits can impact the health of their smile by affecting their bite and oral health. By the age of three, it’s recommended that your child no longer rely on these actions as a source of feeling safe; however, sometimes, thumb-sucking and pacifier use can be hard habits to break. Fortunately, Dr. Shanock offers tips and advice to make this task easier to take on.
Pulp Therapy
If your child is complaining about a toothache or sensitivity that keeps them up at night, it could be an indication that they have infected pulp, which is a collection of soft tissues and nerves located in the center of their tooth. When left unchecked, this infection can spread and impact surrounding teeth. That’s why Dr. Shanock offers pulp therapy. It’s a straightforward procedure where he removes the infected portion of pulp and caps the tooth off with a crown for protection and strength. That way, your child can continue using it as they normally would.
Hospital/OR Anesthesia
For our younger patients who have special needs, extreme anxiety, or other circumstances, Dr. Shanock is able to offer treatment in a hospital or under general anesthesia. He and his team of professionals have privileges at an accredited hospital and work with board-certified pediatric anesthesiologists to provide safe dental care to your little one. Our goal is to make sure that their smile is healthy and fully functional, and for children who have extensive dental needs, we’re able to do this by offering this accommodating service.
Learn More About General Anesthesia
General Anesthesia FAQs
Our team strives to create a comfortable, easy treatment experience for each patient. That is why we partner with board-certified anesthesiologists to offer general anesthesia when necessary. However, before you commit to this service for either yourself or your child, you may have questions about it. Below, you will find answers to some relevant FAQs. If your specific questions are not addressed here, please reach out to our team directly.
Is General Anesthesia Safe?
Patient safety is one of our top priorities. To reduce the risk of complications from general anesthesia, we:
- Take a thorough medical history of each patient to assess relevant risk factors.
- Work with board-certified anesthesiologists.
- Monitor patients closely during procedures.
Because we are so diligent about patient safety, there is very little risk that something could go seriously wrong during your procedure.
Can I Eat Before I Am Placed Under General Anesthesia?
Patients should generally fast for at least 8 hours before they are placed under general anesthesia. It is important for patients to have an empty stomach in order to reduce the risk of aspiration. (Aspiration occurs when a patient breathes in their own vomit. It can be life-threatening in some cases.)
Although eating is restricted before general anesthesia, it will be fine for you to consume clear liquids, such as water. Black coffee and tea may also be acceptable.
What Are the Side Effects of General Anesthesia?
Some patients feel nauseated after they are placed under general anesthesia. Grogginess, slight headaches, and feelings of exhaustion may also occur. Nausea usually goes away within a few hours, while grogginess and tiredness may last for up to a couple of days.
You will be monitored for a while after your procedure so we can keep an eye out for any severe side effects (which are rare).
How Long Does It Take to Recover from General Anesthesia?
It can take up to 48 hours or so for the effects of general anesthesia to completely go away. During that time period, you should not drive or engage in any other potentially dangerous tasks. Focus on resting and recovering! While the anesthesia is wearing off, you can get some sleep, watch movies, or do other tasks that require little concentration.
How Much Does General Anesthesia Cost?
The exact cost of general anesthesia depends on a few different factors. Our team can provide cost information during your consultation. Because it is quite complex, it tends to be the most expensive sedation option. However, it is worth it for patients with extreme dental anxiety or other conditions that would make it impossible for them to undergo treatment without general anesthesia.
In cases where general anesthesia is considered medically necessary, insurance might cover a portion of its cost.