Teen Dentistry in Locust Valley

As teens become more aware of their appearance and tie their self-esteem to how they look, dress, and smile, they may encounter a need for cosmetic dentistry. There’s no reason to not undergo cosmetic procedures as a teen, although some services may not be recommended if they’re also undergoing treatment for misaligned teeth, such as braces or Invisalign.

Cosmetic procedures for teens offered at Locust Valley Dentistry include bonding (to close gaps or adjust the shape of teeth), porcelain veneers (to restore misshapen or uneven teeth), and Zoom whitening (to brighten and whiten smiles).

The best way to know if your child can benefit from treatment with braces is to talk to a Long Island dentist, who can examine their teeth and recommend a treatment plan. In some cases where minimal correction is needed, Invisalign can be used instead of traditional braces. No matter what, know that there are more options today for aesthetically pleasing braces, such as ceramic ones, to provide a straight, beautiful smile without unsightly braces.

Wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to come in, and usually start erupting around age 17-20. Some teens may be able to opt not to remove them, but most young adults either don’t have enough room in their mouth or have wisdom teeth that are coming in sideways, requiring their removal. Dr. Koster will monitor your teen’s wisdom teeth during regular examinations and refer you to an oral surgeon when the time is right to get them removed.

We understand that some kids just like to play it rough. Anyone playing a contact sport like football or hockey should wear a good mouthguard to prevent this from happening in the first place. Dr. Koster can recommend a tight-fitting mouthguard during an appointment. However, accidents happen, even in other sports and activities, and sometimes kids will lose a tooth.

When this happens, call us immediately. We can walk you through steps to re-insert the tooth after carefully cleaning it of any dirt and debris. If you cannot find the tooth or if the tooth is broken or damaged, we can assist in restorative dentistry to help give your child the look and function of a full set of teeth.

We’ve known for a long time that smoking has all kinds of negative side effects on your lungs, heart, and mouth, and we always recommend teens not to smoke to avoid these medical and cosmetic downsides. Smoking causes issues such as yellow stains, tooth decay, and contributes to the risk of mouth cancer.

Less research has been done on vaping although the harmful artificial chemicals present are suggested to be just as damaging in the long term as smoking.

We recommend young patients see the dentist once every six months for regular cleanings and examinations by Dr. Koster. In some cases, we may schedule additional checkups or refer you to an orthodontist that will increase the number of appointments you’ll need to make, but usually, six months is all that’s needed for most healthy smiles.