Pediatric Dentistry of Burke

Over the past decade, Dr. David Treff has established himself as one of the premier childrens dental specialist in Burke and the surrounding communities. By specializing in pedodontics, Dr. Treff is equipped to treat all your child’s dental issues directly in our convenient Burke office location. At Pediatric Dentistry of Burke, our only goal is to help your child have a bright, healthy smile, and the only way to ensure a healthy mouth is by teaching your child proper oral hygiene practices and visiting the dentist regularly. We would love to be your child’s dental home, and along with the help of each parent, we can help create smiles that will last a lifetime. We might be professionals, but as a parent, you know your child better that we ever will. In order to best help each child, we offer various treatment options, and with the parent’s help, we identify the best plan to meet each child’s individual needs. Infant Oral Care Pediatric Oral Health Care White (Composite) Fillings Extraction & Space Maintainers Behavior Management & Sedation Dentistry Emergency Care Dental Crowns Restorative Dentistry Special Needs Patients Hospital Based Dentistry Flouride X-Rays Orthodontic Planning Dental Sealants

At Pediatric Dentistry of Burke, we specialize in oral health care for kids. Our pediaric dental team will help set your child up for a lifetime of healthy teeth. Rather than trust just anyone with your child’s dental health care, look to a pediatric dentist who understands the unique oral health needs of children and can provide the most specialized care possible. With nearly a decade of experience and extensive pediatric training, Dr. David Treff has been recognized as a leading provider of pediatric oral health care to residents of Burke and surrounding communities. Dr. Treff emphasizes four specific areas of his practice to create the best possible experience for patients: Stress-Free Experience For Parents. Safe Experience For Kids. Children can quickly develop fears of things they do not understand or have a lot of experience with. We focus on helping children feel comfortable when visiting the dentist, so it can become a long-term relationship where your child properly cares for their oral health. Our experts will take the time to explain to children how to brush their teeth, and how to correctly floss and care for their teeth. Care & Communication Each child is unique, and our goal is to learn how to communicate with each of them on a personal level. When speaking with your child, we will always be patient, kind, and genuine. In addition to caring for your child, we care about you! Because we care, we try our hardest to work efficiently to help your child get proper care in a timely manner. Partnership The only way to ensure your child’s smile remains bright and healthy is to work as a team. To help your child have the best experience possible, we offer various treatment options to ensure we meet your child’s emotional and dental needs. Additionally, we invite parents to sit next to their child during basic procedures or to view more advanced procedures through our observation windows. Prevention At Pediatric Dentistry of Burke, we focus on preventive dentistry, which allows us to defend against poor oral health early and prevent issues from arising. We know the fun atmosphere we have created, along with the preventive measures we take, will help your child continue to strive for excellent oral health their whole life.

Dr. Dave and the staff at Pediatric Dentistry of Burke advocate for establishment of a dental home no later than 12 months of age allows dietary and nutrition counseling to occur early*. Elements of the annual visit to Pediatric Dentistry of Burke would include a clinical oral examination, caries-risk assessment, prophylaxis and professional topical fluoride treatment (with parent’s consent), radiographic assessment, anticipatory guidance/counseling, and treatment planning*. The interval of examination should be based on the individual patients risk status/susceptibility to disease and occur at a minimum every six months*. *AAPD Reference Manual, Best Practices. V 40/ No 6 pgs 194-203 http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/BP_Periodicity.pdf

Teeth, due to decay or trauma, can reach a point beyond repair. In some cases primary teeth may need to be removed to create a more favorable path of eruption for permanent teeth. In the case of trauma or decay consideration of short term health and well being is critical. The process of removal of teeth begins with profound anesthesia to maximize comfort during care. Post -operative considerations include diet adjustment(s), proper wound care, oral hygiene modification(s), and pain management. Primary “baby” teeth that are removed are not replaced but rather in some cases the premature loss of the tooth requires space “maintenance.” Multiple factors influence the use of “interceptive” orthodontics to maintain this space. These include but are not limited to: age of patient, cooperation of patient, tolerance for an intra-oral appliance, length of time an appliance is necessary, location of lost tooth, pending eruption of the permanent “successor” tooth, and overall caries risk of the patient. Premature loss of a primary tooth, especially in the posterior, often results in the need for future orthodontic care. According to the American Academy of Orthodontists (AAO) children should have a screening when the first permanent molars, central incisors, and lateral incisors are fully erupted. Crowding may be best treated once all the permanent teeth have erupted and orthodontic care provided for all areas of the mouth. Certain teeth can become badly infected, which can result in the infection developing in the permanent tooth that will eventually grow in. What parents need to know about extractions is how to help their children care for the area after the tooth is removed. If a permanent tooth is being removed, the after-care treatment will be much stricter and necessary to follow compared to the removal of a baby tooth that is already being pushed out by a permanent tooth.

Dr. Treff and the staff at Pediatric Dentistry of Burke follow the guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry for behavior guidance and are licensed by the State of Virginia to provide mild and moderate sedation in an office setting. Dr. Treff and staff are committed to clearly explain the guidelines and obtain informed consent prior to any care so that the safety and well being of the child is maintained but also so that parents are educated and comfortable with the choices they make in giving permission to treat their child. Behavior Management primarily falls into two categories: basic behavior guidance techniques and advanced behavior guidance techniques*. The AAPD groups the following as basic behavior guidance techniques: Communication and communicative guidance Positive pre-visit imagery Direct observation Tell-show-do Ask-tell-ask Voice Control Nonverbal communication Positive reinforcement and descriptive praise Distraction Memory restructuring Parental presence/absence Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Inhalation Advanced behavior management techniques include: Protective Stabilization Sedation General Anesthesia At Pediatric Dentistry of Burke the safety and well being of every patient is our primary focus. Each technique listed has both indications and limitations. Dr. Treff is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist with over ten years experience and expert in the application and use of the above techniques. And will often uses a combination of both basic and advanced behavior management techniques to meet the needs of his patients with parent involvement and consent always. For further explanation or to schedule a consultation please contact Pediatric Dentistry of Burke at your earliest convenience. *AAPD Reference Manual, Best Practices. V 40/ No 6 pgs 254-267 http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/BP_BehavGuide.pdf

In the event that a simple restoration can not adequately replace tooth structure lost to decay or the root canal has been compromised and a medicament placed a “full” coverage dental crown may be indicated. Research indicates that dental crowns offer more durability than multi-surface restorations. Crowns placed when treatment occurs to the inner part of a tooth, pulpotomy, carries a guarded prognosis for primary teeth. It is important to note that roots of primary teeth are resorbed as the permanent tooth erupts. This limits and often eliminates the treatment of the root itself and thereby bacteria may be present even after treatment of the coronal portion of a tooth. A dental crown is cemented to the remaining tooth structure and exfoliates “falls out” when the replacement permanent erupts. There are different materials used in the fabrication of crowns. For posterior primary teeth the most common most researched material is stainless steel (silver colored). Zirconia (white colored) engineered crowns are available in various sizes to fit both posterior and anterior primary teeth. Composite “strip” crowns are plastic shells in the shape of anterior teeth that are filled with composite material and hardened around the tooth with the use of a curing light. This type of crown, while highly esthetic, is moisture sensitive during placement and has reduced durability properties. Another option for anterior teeth is a stainless steel crown with porcelain fused to mimic a natural tooth. The risks, benefits, and prognosis of using crowns to treat teeth should be discussed in detail during treatment planning and prior to care.

Dr. Treff Is A Kid At Heart Pediatric Dentistry of Burke proudly offers high-quality pediatric restorative dental care in a loving, caring atmosphere. Dr. Treff is a child at heart, and he is committed to helping your child feel safe. One thing that separates Dr. Treff from other pediatric dentists in the area is his glasses. They might not seem that special, but to him, they are what allow him to connect with any child instantly. He wears his glasses, his team wears their glasses, and he offers a pair of glasses to each child who visits his office, and an instant trust is formed. In his office, Dr. Treff performs various procedures, including crowns, extractions, and fillings. Crowns: Tooth-like caps that are placed over a damaged tooth to preserve the functionality and integrity of a tooth. Extractions: A procedure in which a damaged tooth must be removed. Fillings: There are two forms of fillings, mercury-based or composite, and a filling is placed upon a damaged portion of a tooth to prevent further decay. Dr. Treff can use both mercury-based and composite fillings, but he prefers to use composite due to their durability and health benefits. Before each procedure, Dr. Treff will take the time to discuss each available treatment option with a child’s parent to ensure both the parents and the child know the best treatment option has been picked.

Dr. Treff has spent countless hours learning new skills to provide the dental care your children deserve. One such skill is hospital-based dentistry, which is often used for children needing extensive work or those who cannot endure a procedure due to extreme dental phobias. These procedures are performed in a hospital setting using general anesthesia. To learn more about hospital-based dentistry, contact us today!

Orthodontic treatment for children is a term many parents dread hearing. Whether you have friends with horror stories over the cost of braces, or people that had to have restorative dental treatment after their braces were removed, there is no question that talking about braces can be stressful. Fortunately at Pediatric Dentistry of Burke, we focus on finding ways to help parents plan for orthodontic treatments so they know what to expect as their children grow. When children receive routine dental examinations and cleanings, we always look at the developing teeth and their growing jaw structure. With some children, it’s easy to tell that crowding is an issue and orthodontic treatments may be in your future. Some parents are starting braces at younger ages, by 6 or 7 in certain situations, because it takes advantage of the fact that the child’s jaw is still growing and can aid in helping to improve the issues during development of the jaws and dental arches. When Do Children Need Braces? In most situations, orthodontic offices are seeing patients come in before or around the age of 12. Orthodontic treatment normally begins when all the baby teeth have fallen out and the 12-year molars are close to erupting, or have erupted. We start to examine patients for orthodontic planning around the age of six, and can recommend certain treatments if we know crowding is an issue. Dental spacers are often used to ensure the permanent teeth can erupt in the correct position. If you have a child that sucked their thumb when they were younger, you may see some orthodontic treatment in the future due to developmental damage. Cost of Braces Patients always want to know how much money they need to anticipate when planning for braces. The cost isn’t something we can offer as we do not provide orthodontic treatments besides dental spacers. However, we have spoken to several orthodontists in the area and they say the average costs are roughly between $3,000 to $7,000, based on the type of braces and amount of work needed. We do find most orthodontists are willing to provide patient’s with payment plans, making braces a little more affordable for parents. Why Do Kids Need Braces? Without proper treatment, crooked, overlapped, and overcrowded teeth will lead to problems. From speech impediments to difficulty eating, it is important to understand how tooth and jaw problems could impact your child if you do not take them for proper orthodontic treatment. If we notice concerns, we will discuss them with you prior to recommending an orthodontist in the area. Starting the process early is the best way to limit the damage that could occur. Caring for Braces If you do have a child with braces, we recommend teaching them to work harder to clean their teeth. Braces are often glued to the teeth and it can be challenging to remove bacteria and food particles from the teeth. Brushing after meals is vital to preventing the enamel from developing cavities and stains. Regular dental visits are necessary for our office to continue monitoring the teeth and gums for any signs of problems. Orthodontic offices will provide a food eating guide to help children understand what foods must be avoided to prevent problems with their braces and to avoid serious dental decay issues.

Preventive treatments like dental sealants are one of the many services Pediatric Dentistry of Burke offers its patients in Burke, Fairfax, Springfield, Annandale, Falls Church, McLean, Alexandria, and other surrounding communities. With nearly a decade of experience and extensive pediatric dental training, Dr. David Treff provdes high quality dental sealants at an affordable price, protecting your teeth from gum disease, cavities, and tooth loss. Dental sealants primarily used to protect first and second permanent molars from tooth decay. We bond a thin layer of composite material to the deep grooves of molars where a toothbrush may not be able to adequately brush and clean. Sometimes despite your best effort brushing the grooves and crevices of a tooth are smaller than the diameter of the toothbrush bristle. Sealants alone do not guarantee cavities will be avoided. Similar to fluoride in water, toothpaste, and varnish it is a tool for prevention. When Does My Child Need Dental Sealants? We recommend sealants for all children when first permanent molars are fully erupted (around six to seven years of age) and again when second permanent molars are fully erupted (eleven to twelve years of age). In order an optimal chemical bond between tooth and sealant to occur the tooth must be isolated and free of saliva. Not all children can tolerate the mechanism that keeps the tongue and cheek away from the molars so sealants may be delayed for this reason. Sealants can be placed on any tooth that may have deep grooves and can be placed at the request of parents at anytime for other permanent or primary “baby” teeth. Sealant placement does not require local anesthesia so patients can resume their normal eating schedule with out delay. Sealants occasionally de-bond or “come off” due to normal eating. Sealants placed at Pediatric Dentistry of Burke are repaired as a courtesy and all sealants are examined during routine prophylaxis appointments.