Pediatric dentistry is a specialized dental field that focuses on the oral health of children.
A child’s primary dentition begins to erupt at around six months old and continues through the second year of life. The eruption of the baby teeth is a time of great excitement for parents and their children. It is also a time when cavities, tooth decay, and oral injuries can occur. Because of the unique anatomy and development of the baby’s mouth, pediatric dentists are the best candidates to treat these problems.
A pediatric dentist can diagnose and treat common dental problems, like tooth decay, dental injury, and oral infections. Some conditions, like cleft lip and palate, are also more common among children, and may require treatment by a pediatric dentist.
According to the American Dental Association, nearly one out of five children have some type of dental problem. Pediatric dentists are trained to recognize and treat the most common problems affecting children. They can also provide preventive care, like fluoride treatments, to keep children’s teeth healthy and strong.
Children are often more cooperative with treatment than adults. For this reason, pediatric dentists are often better equipped to perform treatments that are more difficult to complete. Some examples of these procedures include extracting teeth, treating malocclusions, and providing dental sealants.
The most common procedures performed on a child’s teeth are:
A dentist can help a child clean their teeth by giving them special tools to brush and floss.
Fluoride treatments are essential for preventing tooth decay. The fluoride treatments can be done once or twice a year.
A dental filling, also known as a restorative, is a procedure that replaces damaged or missing tooth structure with a material that matches the tooth.
A crown is a covering for a tooth that restores its original shape and size.
A root canal procedure is the most common dental treatment for infected teeth.
An extraction is a procedure where a tooth is removed because of decay, injury, or other reasons.
Removable appliances are devices that are used to fix teeth. They can be used to treat:
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the correction of misaligned teeth, and other dental issues.
It’s important to find a dentist who is experienced in pediatric dentistry. A pediatric dentist should be experienced in treating children and teenagers, so it is important to ask the dentist if they are experienced in treating children.
Most dentists learn the basics of treating children in dental school. However, it’s important to find a dentist who specializes in pediatric dentistry. This means the dentist is better trained to handle a child’s needs.
It’s also important to find a dentist who recommends books and DVDs on pediatric dentistry. In addition, it’s a good idea to ask your dentist what they think about books and DVDs.