Pediatric Dentistry

Children who begin getting regular check-ups and professional cleanings at a young age have a reduced risk of cavities and more serious complications. Pediatric dentistry includes visits every six months, as well as digital x-rays, education and instruction for oral hygiene, fillings, and preventative care. Dr. Alan Dilsaver provides gentle dental care for children to improve their experience and keep them from having anxiety in the chair later in life.

Oral hygiene instruction is an important part of pediatric dentistry because it teaches children the importance of hygiene and how to properly brush and floss their teeth. Children should visit the dentist every six months for a full exam and cleanings. As long as they visit our Lehigh Valley Smiles office every six months, the young patient will continue having good oral health care. Preventative care includes sealants and mouth guards. Mouth guards protect their teeth during contact sports, while sealants prevent tooth decay by covering their teeth with fluoride.

We also perform tooth-colored fillings on children, which are completely safe for children and go quickly. Lastly, we offer orthodontic care, including Invisalign, traditional, and clear braces. If you would like additional information on pediatric dentistry, contact our office.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes breaks in the person’s breathing, as well as shallow breathing. These pauses typically last a few seconds, but can be minutes. Not only does it interrupt the patient’s sleep, but it can be dangerous when the patient does not breathe multiple times as night. Dr. Alan Dilsaver offers a variety of sleep apnea corrections through surgery.

Lehigh Valley Smiles offers procedures to help with sleep apnea, because of the dangerous side effects it can cause. When sleep apnea is left untreated, it can lead to an increased risk of heart failure, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, heart attack and stroke, in addition to possible arrhythmias. It can also lead to an increase in the risk of work-related accidents and car accidents because of the poor sleep. That's why it is important to get treatment if you've been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

There are three procedures offered in our Lehigh Valley Smiles office: uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), maxillomandibular advancement, and tracheostomy.

The UPPP procedure removes excess tissue from the throat and mouth, and is performed in a local hospital. The maxillomandibular advancement also helps with sleep apnea by moving the jaw forward from the facial bones, helping to create an open airway. Lastly, there is the tracheostomy, which puts a tube in the patient’s throat to be covered during the day and open while sleeping.

Visit us in Easton, PA to get more information about these sleep apnea procedures.

Night Guards

Teeth grinding is an unfortunate habit that many of our patients do without even realizing it. Unfortunately, they are damaging their teeth in the process. While it happens more frequently at night, some of our patients admit they find themselves clenching or grinding their teeth during the day.

Fortunately, we provide custom night guards here at Lehigh Valley Smiles to help patients protect the damage to their teeth and reduce jaw pain that is a common result of teeth grinding.

The night guards made by Dr. Alan Dilsaver are custom to the patient’s teeth and very durable, lasting about 10 years. Because they are made from impressions of the patient’s teeth, they are also very comfortable to wear. There are several benefits to getting night guards, including the following:

• ·         Protected teeth


• ·         Reducing jaw pain


• ·         Reduced snoring


• ·         More comfort while sleeping


• ·         Reduced headaches and neck pain


• ·         Improved breathing

In our dental office, we believe night guards are very important for patients who are grinding their teeth. By doing this continuously every night, the patient wears down their teeth, which can later result in extreme jaw pain and stress, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, and even the loosening of their teeth. For more information about the benefits and procedure of night guards, contact our office at (610) 252-7414.