If you'd like to spread your payments out into convenient monthly payments, please ask us about interest-free CareCredit financing. CareCredit is a healthcare credit card that provides you with a way to finance your dental treatment, vision care, and other healthcare needs. Let our receptionist know you’re interested, and we’ll be happy to help you apply for CareCredit interest-free financing. Apply Online Now!
We recommend that you bring your child in to see Dr. Holder and Dr. Kirkpatrick as soon as their first baby tooth erupts; this may be as early as six months of age.
Of course, when your child’s only six months old, we’re not going to try to do any complicated exams or treatments. During this visit, we’ll focus on educating you about the best ways to care for your child’s teeth as they continue to erupt. We will evaluate their teeth for proper development, brush their teeth, and apply a fluoride varnish because most babies are using a non-fluoridated toothpaste prior to age two. Fluoride strengthens the teeth and helps them to become more resistant to future decay - think of it as a vitamin for their teeth.
We’ll also take the time to show your little one all the interesting equipment and introduce them to our caring staff. Every positive experience your child has with us is a step toward developing a good attitude about dental care. If you’re feeling a little apprehensive about how your child might react, you are always welcome to stay with your child throughout their appointment.
Getting quality dental care for your child is affordable - all insurance plans (PPO or otherwise) will begin covering your child at birth, assuming you have notified your carrier that a child was born and added them to the policy. Most insurance plans will cover preventative care (exams, cleanings for children, fluoride) at 100%.
Please give us a call to arrange your child’s exciting first dental visit!
A dental sealants is a thin resin-based material that is applied to the uneven chewing surfaces of your child's teeth. The material seals off these deep grooves to prevent food, plaque, and bacteria from collecting, minimizing the risk of decay developing. The back teeth in particular are prone to decay because these uneven surfaces can present a challenge to keep clean with a toothbrush.
Prevention is the key to enjoying healthy teeth. At Zachary J. Holder, DDS, our goal is to use every preventative treatment available to protect your teeth from decay. Application of dental sealants is a very effective procedure and is just one more step we can take to get your child’s teeth off to a healthy start
We need to be proactive with your child’s oral health from an early age. This is the best way to help them enjoy the benefit of strong, healthy teeth that last a lifetime. Our kids are truly lucky to have been born at a time when we can combine our wealth of knowledge with dental treatments that prevent serious oral health problems from developing in the future.
If you would like more information about the benefits of dental sealants or other preventive treatments, please contact our Baytown dental office to arrange a convenient appointment.
Check out the videos below for a quick overview of the proper way to brush and floss your teeth along with a bonus video explaining how to freshen bad breath!
How to Floss
How to Brush
How To Freshen Bad Breath
Diet and Your Teeth
Before we even examine your mouth, we’ll sit down with you for a face-to-face meeting to talk about your concerns. We’ll ask some basic questions to learn more about you and your expectations for dental treatment:
- Are there specific goals you’d like to accomplish, or do you just want to make sure your oral health’s on track?
- What have your past experiences with dental care been like?
- Are you nervous or apprehensive about dental care?
Next, Dr. Holder or Dr. Kirkpatrick examine your teeth and note the condition of current dental work and potential problem areas. We will take intraoral photos and a series of digital x-rays to see if there are any problems developing inside your teeth and to establish a baseline for future treatment.
Since your overall health is important to us, every exam and cleaning includes an oral cancer screening. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, oral cancer is highly treatable, with a 90% survival rate if caught in its early stages.