When To Bring A Baby To The Dentist

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that you take your child to the dentist within six months after the first tooth erupts, or by his or her's first birthday, whichever comes first.

In the meantime, your primary healthcare provider should take a look at your baby's teeth (if he or she has any) and apply fluoride varnish every three to six months. Risk factors include a family history of cavities and poor dental health in the mother during pregnancy.

When you are ready to bring your child to the Pediatric Dental Specialists in Long Beach, be sure to communicate what fluoride treatments your baby has already received at the doctor's office.

If you can't afford dental care for your baby, consider getting in touch with your local health department to ask about resources.

What is the iTero Scanner?

It’s time to say goodbye to those messy molds associated with beginning orthodontic treatment and say hello to the iTero Intraoral Scanner. The iTero Intraoral Scanner is a more comfortable procedure that can capture an extremely accurate digital impression of teeth within minutes. Once complete, we can use this model to start your orthodontic treatment and help you get the smile you’ve always wanted. Also, the 3D digital impression can be used with all Invisalign related services.

One of the fun parts about the iTero scanner is that you can actually see your own mouth on the monitor and see what can be done to it by the different views and manipulation of digital images. You can even have the images sent to your personal email.

Our office believes the incorporation of scanner technology in this regard is the present and future of dentistry in all forms, and orthodontics in particular.

If you’re interested in beginning orthodontic treatment for your child or teen, contact Pediatric Dental Specialists of Long Beach today at (562) 377-1375.

Meet Dr. Cervantes

Dr. Gabriela Cervantes

We are pleased to introduce the newest addition to our qualified team, Dr. Gabriela Cervantes. Dr. Cervantes joins our practice with more than 6 years of experience practicing dentistry in the Los Angeles area, after graduating from the University of California, San Francisco -School of Dentistry in 2008.

Dr. Cervantes was born and raised in Orange County, CA. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from California State University, Long Beach with a B.S. in Biology.  She went on to complete her dental degree (DDS) and graduated from the University of California, San Francisco -School of Dentistry in 2008. She completed her General Practice Residency at Harbor- UCLA Medical Center where she was “Resident of the Year”.  After practicing for six years, she was blessed to find her true passion and received her pediatric dental specialty training at the UCLA-School of Dentistry.

Dr. Cervantes is glad to be back in Long Beach serving the community. She shares our practice philosophy of providing comprehensive pediatric dentistry through working with each patient to meet the individual’s distinctive oral health goals. She brings enthusiasm, poise, and a kind, gentle nature with her to our practice. Her interests include singing, cooking, hiking, and biking with her husband and daughter. We are confident you will find Dr. Cervantes’ personality and style to complement our friendly and warm dental team.

The addition of Dr. Cervantes is exciting to us, as it allows us to better serve our patients. In late July, when Dr. Cervantes begins seeing patients, we will be expanding our schedule to provide patients with even more pediatric dental appointment options. Not only will our appointment options expand, but in the near future, Dr. Cervantes will be providing hospital dentistry at Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach to serve children with special health care needs who are unable to receive treatment in a dental office.

Please join us in welcoming her to our practice. We trust that the addition of Dr. Cervantes will allow us to not only meet but exceed your expectations. Should you have any questions regarding this important announcement, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your support.

We Offer Invisalign Teen

Pediatric Dental Specialists in Long Beach is excited to offer Invisalign Teen, a clear alternative to braces that’s just for teens! With Invisalign Teen, we are able to straighten your teen’s teeth without the hassle, discomfort, and embarrassment of traditional braces.

Invisalign Teen’s clear aligners are virtually invisible. What’s more, they are removable, which means your child is free to eat anything they choose, as well as brush and floss with ease! Best of all, Invisalign Teen uses no wires or metal to straighten your teen’s teeth.

Invisalign Teen aligners are made from a lightweight plastic material and fit precisely on the teeth. Invisalign Teen has become a popular treatment here at Pediatric Dental Specialists because it helps our younger patients achieve a straight, beautiful smile without their friends noticing.

Our team is aware that most teens today have a busy lifestyle, and sometimes, they tend to lose things, including their retainers or aligners. But with Invisalign Teen, if your child happens to lose an aligner, let Dr. Planells, Dr. Cortez, Dr. Sanchez and our team know as soon as possible and we will have the aligner replaced.

For more information on Invisalign Teen, please give us a call at our convenient Long Beach, CA office today!

What Is The Difference Between A Dentist And Pediatric Dentist?

Pediatric Dental Specialist in Long Beach is not your typical dentist office. Our pediatric dentists specialize in the unique needs of each child. Just like taking your child to the pediatrician for healthcare, pediatric dentists complete two to three years of specialty training in children’s teeth after dental school.

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, our doctors and staff are highly trained to:

1. Teach your child proper oral hygiene habits 
2. Help with the effects from thumb sucking and pacifier use 
3. Identify spacing issues early on that may need orthodontic treatment later 

And much, much more!

At Pediatric Dental Specialists, we set the foundation of your child’s oral and overall health from a young age. It’s our goal to provide early, preventative dental care for your child to ensure a healthy smile that lasts well into adulthood. For more information about Pediatric Dental Specialists in Long Beach, give us a call at 562-377-1375 or click here to visit our website.

Keep Those Smiles Safe This Spring

Spring break has passed and once again our patients are ready to begin the spring sports season! April is National Facial Protection month and because many of our patients are active athletes, the staff at Pediatric Dental Specialists encourages spring sports safety. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or parent we want to remind everyone to play it safe during organized sports to help prevent serious facial injuries that can take the fun out of the game.

Here are 4 pieces of equipment you can add to your sports bag to stay safe during the sports season.

1. MOUTH GUARDS. A mouth guard is less expensive than an injury, and not painful to your mouth or wallet. Keep your smile safe and prevent your orthodontic appliances from injury by habitually wearing a mouth guard during sports.

2. HELMETS. Helmets can greatly prevent damage to the head so be sure to always wear one when necessary.

3. PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR. Keep your 20/20 vision with sports eyewear that will keep your vision clear and your game at its best.

4. FACE SHIELDS. If you are a hockey, football, or baseball player face shields can prevent severe damage to your face.

These are all great accessories to have when playing sports. This equipment can prevent impact and damage to your head and mouth, all while not interfering with your MVP skills on the field. For more information on mouth guards or how to keep your teeth safe during sports, contact Pediatric Dental Specialists in Long Beach.

We Support World Autism Month

Pediatric Dental Specialists is taking part in the world-wide support for Autism this month! If you’re unaware, April is WOLRD AUTISM MONTH, so we want to go full force with our patients to support the amazing charity Autism Speaks. 

What is Autism Speaks?

Autism Speaks is a charity with the goal to increase the public understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder.  Aside from the amazing outcome of this charity, they are famous for their “Light It Up Blue” campaign. Wear blue to your appointments in April to show your support for Autism Speaks.

What is Autism? The following information is not meant to diagnose or treat and should not take the place of personal consultation, as appropriate, with a qualified healthcare professional.

Autism is defined as, "a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts."

Facts about autism according to Autism Speaks

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates autism’s prevalence as 1 in 68 children in the United States. This includes 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls.
• An estimated 50,000 teens with autism become adults – and lose school-based autism services – each year.
• Around one third of people with autism remain nonverbal.
• Around one third of people with autism have an intellectual disability.
• Certain medical and mental health issues frequently accompany autism. They include gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures, sleep disturbances, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and phobias.

How can you join us in supporting Autism Speaks?

Because Pediatric Dental Specialists is a check-in 4 charity member, you can show support for Autism speaks by checking-in on Facebook at our office. Each time you check-in participate in our donation to Autism Speaks in April. Another fun way to get involved is to wear blue at your April appointments!