Pediatric Dentistry in Melissa, TX

Dr. Schuster knows what goes into laying the foundation for strong teeth and healthy gums. Explore what we can do for your child's dental health and general well-being too:

Dental Exams & Cleanings

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends kids see a dentist every 6 months from their first birthday. This allows dentists like Dr. Schuster to catch problems early and avoid invasive treatments that your child may find traumatic. This proactive approach to dental care creates positive associations around visits to the dentist and helps establish good oral hygiene habits from a young age. We aim to make each dental exam and cleaning a fun, stress-free experience for your child. We use a gentle touch, a dash of humor and try to educate your child along the way to make it an interactive visit. Because who wants to lie back in a dental chair staring at the ceiling? Not us! We'll teach your little one (and you!) how to effectively brush and floss those sweet little teeth to keep the cavities away.

Fluoride & Sealants

The next step in ensuring your child enjoys a healthy, cavity-free smile is preventative care. This often involves fluoride and sealants. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps protect and strengthen the tooth enamel from the inside out. We apply fluoride for most of our youngest patients as part of their cleanings.

Sealants are applied when a child has a lot of uneven ridges on their back molars, which can become a breeding ground for cavity-causing bacteria. These teeth are very hard to reach, even for the most diligent brusher. By covering these gaps with sealants, we can prevent food, plaque, and tartar from building up in these ridges, keeping decay and cavities at bay.

Fillings & Extractions

Despite our best efforts, sometimes cavities still do form. Dr. Schuster can clean and fill cavities with a tooth-colored resin material to prevent further decay. These fillings are biocompatible, safe, and offer a tooth-like appearance for a natural-looking smile.

If a tooth is too far gone, causing spacing issues, or is a stubborn milk tooth, Dr. Schuster can perform a gentle, painless extraction. We'll apply numbing gel before giving your child local anesthesia to pull the tooth without causing any discomfort. In fact, most of our patients don't even realize the tooth is out until we show it to them!

Myofunctional Therapy

Now for what sets Magnolia Ridge Dentistry apart - myofunctional therapy. If your child snores chronically and breathes through their mouth during sleep, it can be a sign that your child has a sleep disorder. These disrupted sleep patterns, often caused by obstructed airways, can worsen symptoms of ADHD, including inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Some signs your child may have a sleep disorder include:

• Daytime sleepiness
• Frequent waking during the night
• Morning headaches

Now, we know this may sound scary, but we have a non-invasive and highly effective solution! Myofunctional therapy involves a series of exercises that help strengthen and retrain the tongue and face muscles, promoting proper oral posture and nasal breathing. This can improve sleep quality, reduce ADHD symptoms, and overall well-being. While there is a time and place for ADHD medications, studies have shown treating the root cause can help parents avoid needing to medicate their children at all. If you are facing an ADHD diagnosis and aren't sure where to start, Dr. Schuster would love to be your first port of call!

Laser Frenectomies (Tongue & Lip Tie Release)

Does your baby struggle to latch or transfer milk effectively? Are they niggly at the breast or bottle? They may have a lip or tongue tie preventing them from getting a deep latch and drinking enough milk. Left untreated, this can lead to oral development issues, gaps in the teeth and speech delay. Dr. Schuster performs non-invasive laser frenectomies to release tongue and lip ties with very little discomfort or damage to surrounding tissue.