If you have any questions or concerns about how your child’s teeth are developing, schedule an appointment with us today. We strive to provide the highest quality of pediatric dental care in a comfortable environment.
Dr. Behl!
I cannot recommend Dr. Maris Behl enough. If you have dental anxiety, she is truly the kind of dentist you hope to find. If teeth could be wrapped in pillows and protected by flying unicorns, Dr. Behl would somehow make it happen.
I have significant anxiety around dental procedures and have needed deeper sedation for dental work in the past. From the beginning, Dr. Behl took the time to listen to my concerns and made me feel genuinely heard rather than dismissed or rushed. She created such a sense of trust and safety that I was eventually able to have my dental work done with only nitrous instead of full sedation, which is something I honestly didn’t think I would be comfortable doing.
During my crown placement, she explained what she was doing throughout the procedure, which made an enormous difference in keeping me calm. She also took the time to address a filling that had been bothering me for what felt like forever — and she actually fixed the problem.
What stands out most about Dr. Behl is how safe I feel in her care. She is compassionate, patient, communicative, and incredibly attentive to how her patients are feeling. For someone with dental anxiety, that combination is invaluable.
Finding a dentist I trust this much has completely changed my experience with dental care. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Behl and would recommend her without hesitation, especially to anyone who has dental anxiety or has struggled to feel comfortable receiving dental treatment.
Response from the owner:Thank you for such incredibly kind words! We’ll be sure to pass this along to Dr. Behl. We’re pretty sure the flying unicorns are going to be the part she remembers most! 🦄💙 We’re so glad our team could help make your experience a more comfortable one.
Dr Thoms and his team are phenomenal. No question, the absolute best possible option for my child when he needed work done while sleeping (age based). While this option is not inexpensive, this set up of have anesthesiology in-house allowed us to get his mouth healthy when a traditional pediatric dentist could/would not. I am a parent that asks a lot of questions on behalf of my toddler’s care and at no point did I feel judged for this, nor was I rushed during my evaluation process during the consultation. Although the procedure is not one I would like to repeat for my child, my husband and I were both so pleased with how well Dr. Thoms communicated and how he clearly cared for our son’s wellbeing (both physical and emotional during a less than comfortable visit). Cannot recommend the back of house team more highly.
My one detraction is the FOH staff (not everyone) were not nearly as pleasant. I would like to communicate that while their day-to-day is very routine for them, being in that office as a parent is very scary for some people in their office and a little bit of kindness goes along way. I do recall, having a very pleasant conversation with Rebecca, but otherwise everyone else was on the apathetic side, in my personal opinion. That said you’ll notice that I still am leaving a five star review because the dental staff really just knocked out of the park, but as a parent I want to encourage you to look past any rudeness you may experience over email or on the phone because Dr. Thom’s is really that excellent.
Response from the owner:Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback. We’re grateful to hear that our team provided compassionate, attentive care and took the time to answer your questions throughout the process. We also appreciate your comments regarding your experience with our front office team and will certainly share your feedback. Your kind words mean so much to us!
Very nice very convenient for me great people working
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad you had a positive experience with our team. We truly appreciate your 5-star review!
As a parent, you always want what is best for your child. As you watch them grow and develop, you want to make sure they are growing and developing correctly. This is true when it comes to their teeth.
If you notice any teeth abnormalities as your child’s teeth develop, don’t be alarmed. Dental abnormalities, such as ectopic teeth, are relatively common. In fact, as many as 40% of people develop tooth abnormalities. Both genetic and environmental factors cause teeth to grow in abnormal ways.
Types of Abnormal Teeth Growth
When a tooth grows in the wrong place, it is called an ectopic tooth. Ectopic refers to an object or organ that is growing in an unusual place. When it comes to teeth, it can mean that a tooth erupted in an abnormal location, or it can mean that a tooth grew in the right place but is misaligned. An example of this would be a canine tooth that sits too high in the gum line or points outward.
Ectopic teeth can be detected with an x-ray, even before the teeth erupt. Most ectopic teeth do not cause issues and can be left alone. Others need to be watched as they grow in, as some misaligned teeth will self-correct.
Regular dental checkups for your child are important for many reasons. For children with ectopic teeth, it is important that their dentist monitor the development as ectopic teeth can lead to problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and misalignment of other teeth. As with other dental issues, the earlier ectopic teeth are treated, the easier treatment will be.
What Are Shark Teeth?
Have you heard the term “shark teeth” used? It is one type of ectopic teeth. Shark teeth occur when a permanent tooth grows in before the primary teeth fall out. It can be one or more than one tooth. But it creates a double row of teeth, just like that of a shark. It is more commonly seen with the incisors but can also occur with the molars.
As the permanent tooth starts to grow under the primary tooth, it dissolves the baby tooth’s roots, becomes loose, and then falls out. In theory, this makes space for the permanent tooth. However, sometimes that shark tooth will grow at an angle and will either not dissolve the baby tooth’s roots or grow straight once the baby tooth has fallen out.
Treatment of shark teeth depends on whether or not the permanent tooth moves into the correct position once the primary tooth falls out. If the permanent tooth has completely erupted, but the primary tooth does not fall out, this is typically resolved by extracting the primary tooth to create space for the permanent tooth.
St. Louis Pediatric Dentistry
If you have any questions or concerns about how your child’s teeth are developing, schedule an appointment with us today. We strive to provide the highest quality of pediatric dental care in a comfortable environment. We provide children with special needs comprehensive dental care in a safe setting.
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The first two board-certified Dentist Anesthesiologists in the state of Missouri.
