Little Bytes Services

Pediatric Oral Surgery

Occasionally, an oral surgery procedure is needed to improve your child's oral health and ensure the jaw and mouth function correctly. Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry providers are trained to provide specialized care for children who require oral surgery in Palo Alto.

We offer safe sedation to help treat anxiety and aim to make your child feel comfortable.

What Are the Common Reasons Children Need Oral Surgery?

If your child's smile has been neglected, oral surgery may be the best treatment. Our team can treat many oral health conditions in children:

Exposing impacted canines
Removing wisdom teeth
Treating oral infections
Removing tumors or cysts in the mouth, neck, or head
Treating salivary gland disorders
Treating TMJ disorders
Correcting malocclusions and jaw misalignments
Treating pediatric sleep apnea
Treating tongue tie

When your child needs help with any of these conditions, the best pediatric oral surgeon for children in Palo Alto is here to help. At Little Bytes, our expert oral surgeon for kids has the education and experience needed to safely perform the procedure.

How Do You Prepare for Your Child's Oral Surgery?

At Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry, we'll do everything we can to maintain your child's comfort during oral surgery. Part of that is ensuring you and your child are prepared. We'll review your treatment plan step-by-step and answer all your questions.

You'll know what to expect on the day of your appointment and in the following days. Of course, you're always welcome to call our office with questions!

Pediatric Extractions

Sometimes, a child's baby tooth is misshapen or has long roots that stop it from falling out naturally. These teeth must be removed to create space for the incoming permanent teeth. For other patients, a single tooth may have extensive decay, putting the surrounding teeth at risk.

Regardless of the reason for the procedure, Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry in Palo Alto can extract a child's tooth safely.

The Extraction Process

At the extraction appointment, our dentist will numb your child's tooth, jaw, and surrounding gum tissue with a local anesthetic. Your child may feel pressure as the dentist firmly rocks the tooth to widen the socket for removal; however, there should be no pain.

We'll use a special instrument called an elevator to loosen the tooth from the jaw, then carefully remove it with forceps. You'll want your child to stick to a soft diet on the day of the extraction.

Is It Necessary to Extract Baby Teeth?

When a baby tooth is badly damaged or decayed, it may be beyond repair with treatment like fillings or crowns. In some cases, the only acceptable treatment is an extraction. If the tooth is not removed, your child may have painful toothaches and the infection could spread.

If your child is in need of oral surgery, contact the best oral surgeon for children in Palo Alto for help.