Here at Tooth Clues, we are proud to specialize in pediatric and special needs dentistry. We truly believe in starting children off right when it comes to their dental health, as their smiles are important to us! As a result, we believe that prevention is the best way to ensure a lifetime of good oral health and a long-lasting beautiful smile.

Children are the ideal population in which to bring about change – good behaviors and practices learned at an early age can reap a lifetime of benefits. And at Tooth Clues, we hope to motivate our detectives about the value of good oral health in order to maintain bright smiles always.

First Dental Visit

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a child’s first dental visit should be around when the first tooth starts to erupt (~6 months) but definitely by the first birthday. We understand that your child may not have many teeth for us to examine however these important, early age visits are helpful for us to develop a relationship with you and your child. We will examine your child’s teeth and frenums, checking for any cavities and oral restrictions respectively. But we also look forward to sharing with you good oral hygiene practices and expected dental milestones so that you are prepared as your infant begins to grow up.

And most importantly, we also understand how intimidating visiting a dentist can be for the first time. For this reason, we strive to maintain a welcoming and comfortable environment for our detectives. Prior to your child’s first visit, please call us with any questions or concerns so that we may ensure that you and your child both have a pleasurable and positive experience with us!

Dental Examinations

Regular dental examinations are an important preventive measure to comprehensively evaluate your child’s dental health. During an examination, the entire mouth – teeth, gums, tongue and all soft tissue, is thoroughly evaluated. At Tooth Clues, your dental examination may include:

  • A complete review of your child’s medical history
  • A visual examination of all teeth for cavities
  • An examination of digital x-rays for cavities or other abnormalities
  • An evaluation of overall dental growth/development and bite, indicating any necessity for orthodontic intervention
  • An evaluation of your child’s tonsils and adenoids to ensure a patent airway
  • An evaluation of all frenum to ensure the absence of oral restrictions
  • A review of any oral habits 

With routine dental examinations, our purpose is to prepare your child for long-term dental health and success.  

Professional Cleanings and Fluoride Treatment

Every three to six months, professional dental cleanings are recommended for healthy teeth and gums. During our professional cleanings, we remove any plaque and bacteria that has built up and also utilize this time to guide our detectives in proper brushing and flossing techniques. Additionally, we will review your child’s diet and make any recommendations to ensure that our detectives are making healthy food choices. 

Fluoride treatment, after a professional cleaning or every three months, is recommended to make teeth stronger, healthier and prevent cavities. Fluoride works to rebuild tooth structure that is broken down by the acids from the foods we eat. If your community does not have fluoridated water, please let us know and we can prescribe fluoride supplements to help strengthen your child’s teeth.

Digital Camera (Soprolife)


In order to ensure your confidence in our recommendations for your child, Dr. Takiar is a firm believer of sharing with you exactly what she sees during your child’s dental visit. Our digital camera will enable you to see immediately what she sees in both still or video format. These photographs will stay as part of your child’s records so we can monitor your child’s dental development at each visit and can be available to you upon request.

Digital X-rays


In order to provide patients with a comprehensive evaluation of their oral needs, digital x-rays have become an invaluable asset to diagnose areas within the mouth not visible to the naked eye. With at least 80-90% reduced radiation in comparison to traditional x-ray methods, we can obtain instant sharp images of areas between the teeth to evaluate for decay and of the bone to evaluate for any developmental or pathological abnormalities.

Digital Scanner (Medit i700)


For any detective who needs a 3D scan of the mouth, teeth or soft tissues, our Medit i700 intraoral scanner will ensure we obtain the highest resolution image. With an intraoral scanner, for any space maintainers, night guards, retainers, or mouth guards, we can easily and efficiently obtain accurate images while ensuring the comfort of our patients.

Dental Sealants


As dentists we always emphasize the importance of brushing and flossing as the best ways to prevent cavities. However, it is not always easy to clean all the tiny pits and grooves of our teeth thoroughly and we may recommend sealants to protect your child’s teeth from developing cavities. Sealant material is BPA-free and is composite resin that is painted and hardened into the tiny pits and grooves of the premolar and molar teeth. As a preventive measure, sealants have shown to reduce the risk of decay by at least 80% in posterior teeth.

Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)


Silver diamine fluoride has demonstrated significant results in slowing the growth of cavities and is a recommended treatment option on a case-by-case basis, either as a temporary or permanent option for cavities and sensitivity. Its application is simple and non-invasive and it can be applied beneath fillings or crowns to prevent the spread of bacteria. However, it does have aesthetic limitations. 

Intraoral Appliances (Habit, Mouthguard, etc.)

Oral habits and injuries that occur to the face or mouth often affect the development and movement of the teeth. Hence, during your visit we will review with you any risks and complications that may occur from oral habits such as thumb sucking, finger sucking, pacifier use, etc. and also discuss our recommendations of how to reduce these habits. Additionally for the older children, we look forward to discussing their hobbies and activities that may warrant the need for a mouthguard. Our goal is to educate our parents so that together, we can protect and ensure the healthy smiles of our detectives!