Missouri City, TX 77459
| Phone: | (281) 778.0543 |
| Fax: | (281) 778.0547 |
Our Dental Services
Comprehensive Care
Perhaps one of the longest-lasting benefits of a healthy smile during childhood is the foundation for a healthy self-image. A healthy and attractive smile brings higher self-esteem, increased confidence, and better first impressions on others... Remember what it was like making friends as a child and teenager? We strongly believe that kids deserve healthy smiles that they can feel good about.
Prevention
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Prevention
Prevention is fundamental to our pediatric dental practice because it enables us to catch problems while they are still small. We want to resolve problems before they get bigger and more serious. Additionally, we want to minimize the time and money you spend on dental care.
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Individual Consultations
Plan to be our guest for about an hour. At your child’s first appointment, Dr. McGriff-Metz will thoroughly review your child’s medical and dental history with you, then answer any dental-related questions or concerns you may have.
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Twice Yearly Exams & Cleanings
Dr. McGriff-Metz will be very thorough during your child’s examination. She will talk with your child and you about the best ways to keep teeth clean and cavity-free.
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Digital X-rays
At our office, we call x-rays “tooth pictures” to help explain them to children. X-rays show what our eyes alone cannot see like cavities between teeth, the effects of trauma, unerupted teeth, and other conditions. As a precaution, in our office we use digital images and lead aprons to ensure your child’s safety.
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Fluoride Treatments
Children with newly-erupted permanent teeth can benefit a great deal from fluoride exposure. The safe and easy way to ensure that teeth are getting enough fluoride is to use fluoride toothpaste, which is available in a variety of types and flavors that your children will like. Twice a year after your child’s teeth have been professionally cleaned, Dr. McGriff-Metz feels that it’s also important for the teeth to receive a more intense fluoride treatment to really fight off decay.
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Dental Sealants
Dental sealants work by filling in the “hard-to-clean” grooves on the chewing surfaces of back teeth where plaque and food particles get caught and cause cavities. The application is fast and comfortable. It only takes a few minutes to seal out decay. Sealants can effectively protect your child’s teeth for many years before needing to be reapplied.
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Custom Athletic Mouthguards
Dr. McGriff-Metz can create a custom-fitted soft plastic mouthguard to protect your child's teeth, gums, lips, and cheeks from sports-related childhood injuries. Athletic mouthguards can even help prevent severe injuries to the face, jaw, and head.
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Habit Counseling & Appliances
"Comfort sucking" is perfectly normal for infants and toddlers. Many stop by age 2. However, these habits, if prolonged, can create crooked teeth or bite problems. The constant pressure from a pacifier, thumb, or finger can cause the upper front teeth to tip toward the lip or not come in properly, which in turn affects your child’s bite, jaw, and bone growth. If the habit continues beyond age 3, a professional evaluation is recommended. We understand that the topic must be treated with patience and sensitivity, and Dr. McGriff-Metz will gladly suggest ways to gently address any habit.
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S.O.S. - Save Our Smile
We try to save every tooth! Some might not worry about primary (or baby) teeth because they know that children will lose them, but it is extremely important to keep your child’s primary teeth healthy and in place until they are lost naturally. Primary teeth serve a number of critical functions. They allow children to chew properly so they can eat a balanced diet and properly absorb nutrients in their mouth. They also aid in children’s speech development by enabling them to form and pronounce words correctly. In addition, primary teeth help permanent teeth align correctly when they start to erupt by saving the space for them.
Restorative
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White/Tooth Colored Fillings
Composite resin fillings are bonded to teeth with adhesive. The tooth-colored material is cured with a special light and the surface is polished to match the tooth, making the restoration virtually undetectable to the eye and natural feeling in the mouth.
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White & Stainless Steel Crowns
Sometimes a posterior tooth is too broken down or the cavity is too large for a simple filling to restore it to its original shape or function. At times like these, a pre-made crown must be used to cover or "cap" a tooth. We place both white and stainless steel (silver) crowns. Usually in the back of the mouth we place steel crowns whereas in the front, we place more natural-looking or "white, fancy" crowns. The type selected depends upon several factors which are discussed in our office prior to the day of treatment.
Crowns only require one appointment for placement. The patient's tooth is shaped and then the correctly-sized crown is fitted and cemented onto the tooth with a biocompatible element.
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Dental Emergencies
Accidents happen, and when they involve your child’s teeth or mouth they can be especially frightening. Whether it is a toothache, a broken tooth, or an injury to the soft tissue, please call our office immediately. We treat dental emergencies promptly. And, even if it's after hours, please call. The emergency on call doc who answers will be Dr. Mc!
Comfort
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Kid Friendly Office Design
Our beautiful new office was designed to make your child comfortable and enjoy his or her visit.
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Our Philosophy on Sedation
We recognize that some children feel scared or uneasy about dental visits (and some parents, too) so we adjust our care to meet every child’s individual needs. At every visit, your child’s cooperation will be assessed. Should we feel that the displayed behavior is not safe for the delivery or receipt of dental treatment, we may recommend an aid to help your child relax.
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Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is a sweet-smelling, colorless blend of gases that can create feelings of happiness and relaxation in most patients when inhaled. Some children even describe feelings of floating or silliness, which is why it is called “laughing gas.” Local anesthesia is still required for the majority of dental treatment since nitrous has no pain prevention properties. Once treatment is completed, the patient breathes pure oxygen for five minutes and is then ready for discharge with no side effects. Nitrous oxide is a safe and comfortable way to help many children to receive the dental treatment they need.
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Oral Sedatives
We can use one or a combination of sedative medications for the child who has significant anxiety or apprehension about their dental care. These medications DO NOT put the child asleep nor make them lose consciousness. Instead, the drugs aid behavior management and oftentimes allow treatment to be completed successfully. They are administered to the child in our office and usually cause drowsiness. Keep in mind that it is possible for a child to experience the opposite effect of the one desired and instead become hyper and excited.
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IV Sedation
We recommend intravenous sedation for extremely apprehensive children, very young children, or children with special needs who are unlikely to experience the desired effects from an oral sedative. While Dr. McGriff-Metz is completing the dental treatment, an anesthesiologist administers medications and monitors the child to ensure treatment is completed conveniently with maximum patient comfort.
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Hospital Care
For those dental patients who require general anesthesia in an operating room setting for care, Dr. McGriff-Metz has attained privileges to provide restorative services at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center.
Office Hours
- 8:30am–4:30pm Monday:
- 8:30am–4:30pm Tuesday:
- 8:30am–4:30pm Wednesday:
- Closed Thursday:
- 8:30am–2:30pm Friday:
- By Appointment Saturday:
Office Features
- Fun & Gentle Female Dentist
- Kid Friendly Office Design
- Multiple Sedation Options
(Including General Anesthesia) - WiFi Hot Spot
- Wii Gameroom
- Convenient & Flexible Hours
(Including Saturdays) - Insurance Friendly
Please download our new patient forms to expedite the paperwork at your first visit for your convenience. Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to download these forms. If you do not have it, download the latest version.
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