Protecting Little Teeth With Pediatric Dentistry

Setting Kids Up For A Lifetime Of Healthy Smiles

At Kona Pediatric Dentistry, your kids are at the heart of everything we do. From the moment you walk into our office, we’re dedicated to keeping you and your child comfortable, making dentistry less intimidating, and providing the personalized care your child needs for a lifetime of healthy smiles.

As a pediatric dentist, Dr. Matt Griffith exclusively treats children. From infants and toddlers to school-age children, Dr. Matt and our team will help your child’s smile stay healthy throughout the years. See what makes us different by booking your little one’s first visit today!
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When Should My Child See A Dentist For The First Time?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD) recommends that kids see the dentist by their first birthday or within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth. And that’s our recommendation at Kona Pediatric Dentistry, too.

This may seem a little early, but bringing your child to see the dentist from a young age has lots of benefits. Dr. Matt can make sure their mouths are healthy, keep an eye out for cavities, and track their oral development to make sure everything looks good. Also, seeing the dentist regularly from a very young age helps your children feel more comfortable with dentistry!
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The Benefits Of Seeing A Pediatric Dentist

Not sure why you should choose a pediatric specialist like Dr. Matt instead of a “family dentist” or general dentist? Here are a few benefits of bringing your child to get dental care from a pediatric dentist:
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Specialized training

After graduating from dental school, pediatric dentists must undergo at least two years of additional training through a pediatric residency program. This usually includes things like how to work with children effectively, diagnosing and treating childhood-specific dental diseases, administering sedation to kids, and lots of other child-specific topics. This training helps pediatric dentists like Dr. Matt provide better care to kids and teens of all ages.
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Child-friendly space and team

Pediatric dentists offer child-friendly spaces and team members who love working with kids. For example, at Kona Pediatric Dentistry, we have a fun office with bright yellow chairs, playful decorations, TV screens everywhere, and all kinds of toys for your kids to play with along with a dental team that loves nothing more than meeting new kiddos and helping them learn about maintaining healthy smiles.
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Education-focused approach

You can’t brush your child’s teeth forever! That’s why pediatric dentists focus on education and helping kids learn how to care for their own smiles effectively. Along with routine checkups and a personalized treatment plan, this helps reduce your child’s risk of cavities, gum disease, and other common oral health issues as they grow.
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Stay with your child at all times

Most pediatric dentists let you stay with your child throughout their visit to help them stay comfortable and to give you peace of mind. At Kona Pediatric Dentistry, you’re always welcome to be with your child, even while they're in the dentist’s chair. Our office is designed to keep both kids and their parents comfortable.
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Our Pediatric Dentistry Services

We offer a full range of pediatric dentistry services in Kailua-Kona for kids and teenagers of all ages, including the following:
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• Teeth cleanings and oral exams – Routine six-month visits are the best way to keep your child’s mouth healthy. Teeth cleanings reduce plaque and tartar buildup, while twice-yearly oral exams and periodic X-rays allow Dr. Matt to keep an eye on their oral health and development.
• Early orthodontic evaluations – While he’s not an orthodontist, Dr. Matt can examine your child’s mouth for signs of oral development issues. If he does notice any major issues, he will refer your child to an orthodontist for further evaluation.
• Fluoride treatments – Fluoride treatments involve painting a fluoride-rich solution onto your child’s teeth. This helps strengthen their smile and protects their teeth from cavities.
• Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) – Silver Diamine Fluoride is a non-invasive means of attempting to allow us to buy some time to treat your child's cavities. When applied to cavities, the SDF material halts their progression. This is an ideal option for allowing really young children to get a little older before we put them in a difficult position to cooperate for invasive treatment in the dental chair.
• Tooth-colored fillings and crowns – We exclusively offer tooth-colored fillings, and we also offer zirconia crowns that match your child’s teeth. If your child has a cavity or a broken tooth, we’ll make sure their smile looks as good as new!
• Desensitization visits – If your child needs help getting more comfortable with dentistry, bring them in for a desensitization visit! They can meet Dr. Matt, relax in the dentist’s chair, ask him questions, play with a dental mirror, mess around with our air/water syringe, and more! Each visit usually only lasts 10-15 minutes and doesn't involve any kind of dental treatment but there is a fee. It’s just a chance for your child to get more familiar with the process.
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Find Your Child’s Dental Home – Book A Visit Today

If you’re looking for an expert pediatric dentist in Kailua-Kona, look no further than Dr. Matt and the team at Kona Pediatric Dentistry. We love meeting new patients and their families, and we provide the child-focused, parent-approved care that you need to keep your little one’s teeth and gums healthy as they grow. Give us a call or book your visit online to get started.

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