Little Bytes Services

Pediatric Oral Surgery

We may recommend an oral surgery procedure 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.

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

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 for any of these conditions, trust that our team in Palo Alto has the education and experience needed to safely handle the procedure.

Preparing for Your Child's Oral Surgery

At Little Bytes Pediatric Dentistry, we'll do everything we can to maintain your child's comfort. 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.