Pediatric Dental Specialist

Both cleft lip and palate are orofacial birth defects in which a baby is born with an opening in the roof of the mouth and/or the lip.

A cleft lip can occur between the fourth and seventh weeks of pregnancy and is caused when the normal joining of the lip and facial tissue does not completely close. The result can be a small unclosed slit or a large opening traveling from the lip to the nose – and is most common in boys.

A cleft palate occurs when the tissue that forms the roof of the mouth does not completely join, leaving an opening in the front and/or back mouth palate. This defect usually occurs between the sixth and ninth weeks of pregnancy and is more common in girls. Both cleft lip and cleft palate can be successfully treated by skilled pediatric dental professionals or plastic surgeons. Follow-up treatment to improve the child’s speaking and eating abilities and to treat any other ear, nose and throat conditions are common.

The direct cause of these birth defects are still unknown – even though each year over 2500 babies are born with a cleft palate and over 4,400 with a cleft lip (with or without cleft palate).  Both of these oral and/or facial defects could be caused by various reasons, including a mother who smokes during pregnancy, women who take certain medications, or those diagnosed with diabetes prior to pregnancy.

Cleft lip and palate repair will vary depending on the child’s specific needs, but are geared towards closing and rebuilding the mouth separation along with additional surgeries to improve appearance. Like many birth defects, the risk factors and methods to prevent and treat these childhood issues are continually researched to shed light on increasing the national rates for healthy pregnancy.

If you have any questions regarding cleft lip and palate, contact our office today!

1. Extra School

Pediatric dental specialists go to school for an extra 2-3 years after regular dental school! They train specifically to treat children’s teeth at different stages of their development and learn about working with children with special needs.

Dr. Payam (the BEST pediatric dentist specialist stafford) earned his Doctor in Dental Surgery in 2000 and completed his two-year Advanced Pediatric Dentistry Certificate Program at Tufts School of Dental Medicine in 2011.

2. Only Children!

Pediatric dental specialists treat kids and only kids! They are experts in treating children from birth to adolescence.

You may be wondering why babies would need dental care but in fact the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that every child has their first dental visit by their first birthday.

This is a sensitive age for children so it’s important to bring them to someone who knows exactly how to care for them — a pediatric dental specialist!

3. Wide Range of Treatments

Pediatric dental specialists do more than just well visit checks. Here’s just a few of the things they do on a regular basis:

• Serve as an educational resource for parents
• Infant oral health exams, which include risk assessment for cavities in both mother and child
• Preventive dental care including cleaning and fluoride treatments, as well as nutrition and diet recommendations
• Habit counseling for things like pacifier use and thumb sucking
• Early assessment and treatment for straightening teeth and correcting an improper bite (orthodontics)
• Repair of tooth cavities or defects
• Diagnosis of oral conditions associated with diseases such as diabetes, congenital heart defect, asthma, hay fever, and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder
• Management of gum diseases and conditions including ulcers, short frenulae, mucoceles, and pediatric periodontal disease
• Care for dental injuries (for example, fractured, displaced, or knocked-out teeth)

Schedule Your Appointment Today!

Come in today to meet the best pediatric dental specialist in the Stafford, Va area — Dr. Payam! We have convenient hours and our simple appointment form makes it a snap to schedule your next appointment.