Our Mission is to provide the highest standard of dental care in Dyer, IN to children of all ages
through a team of highly specialized, child-centered, caring individuals as they are our own. We
will do this by using innovative approaches in our state of the art practice while educating
children on prevention and creating a positive dental experience. We vow to create a welcoming
dental home by age one and follow guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry. This home will be founded on mutual respect and integrity and will always rely on
excellent service by every team member to each and every one of our patients!
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Dr. Lynn Karr is a native of northwest Indiana. Both she and her husband graduated from Munster High School in 1991. Dr. Karr graduated with honors and was awarded the athlete of the year award in 1991 for her academic and athletic achievements. In 1995, she graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette with highest distinction. She completed Indiana University School of Dentistry in 1999. Throughout dental school, she was actively involved in outreach programs for children. Some of her experiences included treating children in underserved communities of the Amish in Goshen, IN as well as Aurora, Colorado. Following five years of practice as a general dentist, she went on to further her education and skills and pursue her love of working with children. Dr. Karr embraces children with a welcoming smile and a soft touch. She wants every child to love coming to the dentist and love their smile!
Education:
Products And Services
Infant Care
Schedule your infant's first dental visit with a pediatric dentist when she is one year old. Pediatric dentists have additional training beyond dental school working with infants and young children. Remember - first tooth, first birthday, first dental visit!
Dr Karr has completed extensive training in learning modernized approaches to this procedure to provide care to infants and children with these "tongue ties".
At Pediatric Dental Care, these concerns can be addressed with an efficient and simple procedure using a specialized soft tissue laser. There is no cutting or sutures involved. After the area is anesthetized, the frenum tissue is vaporized using light energy. Advanced laser tools mean better results, minimized to no bleeding, less discomfort, reduced risk of infection, shortened procedure time, and faster recovery. The healing is quick and the laser stimulates bio-regeneration and healing, leaving less chance of relapse. Afterwards, Dr. Karr will discuss post op care and stretches that are needed for several weeks following. Give our office a call to set up a consult for evaluation of a tongue or lip tie.
Dr. Karr follows the American Academy of Pediatric Guidelines for brushing and flossing. This includes brushing 2-3 times a day and flossing every night. In addition, if a patient is six years or older and can properly spit, she recommends nightly fluoride rinses for at least a minute. Other recommendations Dr. Karr and her staff will go over are good food choices and snacking habits. These include fruits, vegetables, cheese, nuts and whole grains. Avoiding frequent snacking, especially those that include pretzels, crackers, chips, fruit snacks, or cookies to name a few, can also prevent tooth decay. Last, when your child's permanent molars are fully erupted and healthy, Dr. Karr can discuss options for "dental sealants" over the grooves that make the tooth surface like an "ice skating rink" helping food debris and plaque from getting embedded in hard to clean areas.
The application of a dental sealant is quick and pain free. First the tooth is cleaned and then dried. The sealant material is painted onto the grooves of the tooth and hardened with a special light. The sealant is a thin material that doesn't interfere with eating, chewing, talking, singing, playing a musical instrument, or smiling. In fact, no one, not even your child will know or feel that there is a sealant on a tooth. Sealants last for years and can be reapplied if found to be rough or cracked. Your child will brush and floss as usual.
"White Fillings" also known as "Tooth Colored Fillings" or "Composites" match the color of your tooth and are considered very esthetic.
At Pediatric Dental Care, Dr. Karr uses only Tooth Colored Fillings to restore treated teeth. Composite restorations allow a more conservative preparation which mean less drilling and less tooth structure loss since it is bonded to the tooth.
We can also seal over the filling when clinically appropriate for further prevention of caries. They are not great for "show and tell" at school, since most people can't even see them! As a parent, you can be assured that Dr. Karr uses only materials that are BPA free.
Silver Diamine Fluoride* is a topical medicament used to treat and prevent dental caries. The antimicrobial use of silver compounds as well as SDF have been used globally for decades. The doctors at Pediatric Dental Care, have been using SDF for several years as a way to treat incipient “early” caries and stop its progression. Another beneficial use of SDF has been found in children with minimal caries that are uncooperative. Placement of SDF in 2 visits with proper oral hygiene can sometimes arrest caries until it can be re-evaluated again in 6 months when a child may be older or more cooperative to complete a filling. In some cases, a filling may be preventable. This is an easy, non-invasive approach to treating small caries taking about a minute of chair time to successfully complete.
Dr. Karr may recommend a space maintainer:
If a primary tooth is lost before the permanent tooth is ready to come in
If a permanent tooth is missing
The maintainer keeps the space open until the permanent tooth comes in.
Upon examination, Dr. Karr focuses on the entire oral health of your child including space and alignment. It’s not just about cavities! Each checkup, she is observing healthy teeth and gums, completing an oral cancer screen and checking eruption patterns and space for growth.
Interceptive orthodontics simply means diagnosing and treating malocclusions as soon as they are detected. The American Academy of Orthodontics now says all children should have an orthodontic assessment no later than the age of seven.
EZ Pedo crowns are a healthy esthetic alternative to silver (stainless steel) crowns for the back teeth, and a stronger alternative to plastic (composite resin) crowns for the front teeth.
Both Drs. Karr and Dr. Clark have been certified by EZ Pedo and are approved to place zirconia crowns. They attended a special hands-on course where they became certified providers. Discover More About EZ-Pedo Certifications.
WHEN YOUR CHILD NEEDS URGENT DENTAL TREATMENT, DR. KARR IS READY TO HELP
Please keep the emergency number available and convenient. Kids will be kids and unfortunately accidents still happen. Knowing what to do in a timely fashion can produce the best result available.
Since every child is unique, the need for radiographs varies from child to child.
Radiographs help Dr. Karr see cavities between the teeth when two teeth are touching side by side, thus, helping with early detection. Radiographs also are needed to examine erupting teeth, diagnose bone diseases, evaluate results of an injury, or plan orthodontic treatment. Again, if these dental problems are found early, dental care is more comfortable and affordable.
bitewing
Dr. Karr uses the latest advances in dental technology including Digital Radiography, which exposes the child to 65% less of the already minimal exposure of radiation. Dr. Karr also has paperless technology software which allows her to accept films via email through a referring dentist and minimize re-exposure if radiographs are current and appropriate. Just call our office for details!
Dr. Karr will discuss options and give different tips for encouraging young children to stop habits on their own. This is something Dr. Karr is very familiar with having children of her own, both who had strong digit habits. If none of the approaches recommended change the behavior, then a mouth appliance that interferes with sucking habits may be the next available option. Again, this is tailored to each individual child since some habits are much more intense or frequent.
Dr. Karr and her staff do their best to make your child feel relaxed and special, but sometimes, a child may feel anxious before or during treatment. There are a couple options Dr. Karr may suggest that are available if it appears cooperation or safety is an issue.
Children's first visit to their dental home should be pleasant and uneventful, solely to introduce the child and parents to the dental office. Emphasis is usually placed upon a developmental assessment of the child’s oral health because caries (tooth decay) and other developmental disturbances can be managed early. Fluoride varnish may be applied to counteract the beginning decay on newly erupted teeth.
Our practice values each individual child, and we recognize that children with special health care needs require a dental practice that is open and understanding. Children with special health care often experience a higher risk of oral diseases which can effect their quality of life and long term health. Each of our patients are treated on a case by case basis with a particular emphasis on their specific needs.
