Pediatric dentistry provides primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants, children, and adolescents including those with special needs. It includes discipline-specific skills, such as behavior guidance, care for medically and developmentally compromised patients, supervision of orofacial growth and development 韓国歯科 and caries prevention.
Tina Clarke, RDH, teaches her students to concentrate on a patient’s extremities—like the hands and feet—to help them feel more comfortable when interacting with the dentist. She also stresses the importance of communicating with kids to decrease their fear and anxiety.
Preventive Care
Preventive care in Pediatric dentistry aims to prevent issues like tooth decay from taking hold in kids’ mouths. This focuses on eliminating plaque build-up and gum disease early to stop the spread of bacteria. It also includes teaching children good oral hygiene practices and developing healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
A dentist can also use preventive treatments to help strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. Some of these include fluoride treatments, dental sealants and dental appliances to help guide erupting or misaligned teeth. Kids with poor oral health can have problems with their overall health, including their ability to take in nutrients and maintain a positive self-image.
A regular visit to the dentist is important for people of all ages. It’s even more critical for kids, who are more likely to develop serious oral health complications than adults. Choosing the right Pediatric Dentist is important because they have special skills and tools to ensure your child is comfortable throughout their appointment. This helps them get the best treatment and prevents dental anxiety later in life.
Cleanings
A child’s regular dental cleaning every six months helps prevent cavities and gum disease. It also teaches them the importance of good oral hygiene, and early treatment of dental problems like gingivitis can save them from having to get fillings later in life.
During a teeth cleaning, pediatric dentists use a curved tool to remove plaque and tartar from your child’s teeth. They may also take x-rays to get a better picture of the developing teeth underneath the gums.
Kids’ mouths are constantly growing and changing, and pediatric dentists are trained to detect issues that general dentists might not see, such as a bite problem or an incorrectly aligned jaw. Children’s teeth are also more susceptible to decay, so pediatric dentists can catch tooth decay early on and stop it from progressing.
Aside from routine oral care, pediatric dentists can also help break bad habits like thumb-sucking, which can affect the roof of a child’s mouth and even impact how their adult teeth come in. They can offer advice and services to help parents break their child’s habit, and they can make sure the process is painless for everyone involved.
Fillings
When a child has a cavity, it means that bad oral bacteria are eating away at the tooth. This can lead to pain, infection, and tooth loss if it is not treated. Pediatric dentists know how to prevent and treat cavities in children. They will use a small drill to remove the decay, leaving a hole in the tooth. Then they will use a composite resin that matches the color of the tooth to fill the hole and repair the damage.
Pediatric dentists are also aware of advances in dentistry that can help your child maintain healthy teeth. For example, Xylitol has been shown to protect young teeth from harmful bacteria and plaque. They will recommend this to you and your child as part of their dental hygiene routine.
If your child is nervous about having a filling, your pediatric dentist will give them numbing topical medicine and deep numbing injections to avoid discomfort or pain. They will also provide sedation through nitrous oxide, which is inhaled through a mask over the nose and quickly takes effect.
Extractions
When a child’s primary tooth is severely damaged by trauma or injury, pediatric dentists often have to perform extractions. This is done to reduce the risk of infection and help their kid’s mouth heal. In many cases, pediatric pulp therapy or a dental crown can preserve the tooth. However, when the damage is too great, a tooth extraction is the only option. The dentist will then place a space maintainer to ensure that permanent teeth grow in properly when they are ready.
Impacted wisdom teeth are also removed to prevent future oral health issues like gum disease, cavities, and jaw misalignment. Gingivitis is a serious oral condition that causes the gums to bleed and swell. If left untreated, it can lead to periodontal disease, which is a serious oral condition that affects the gum tissue and jawbone.
When a child’s tooth is extracted, the site will bleed for a few days and may ache. The dentist will advise parents on how to care for the site and recommend a soft diet and over-the-counter pain relievers.
Sedation
Pediatric dental sedation is an essential component of pediatric dentistry. High levels of dental disease, challenging child behavior, and parental expectations support the need for pharmacologic behavioral guidance in this patient population. However, a disproportionate number of sedation complications has led to increased regulatory scrutiny and a need for improved technique.
Pediatric sedation can range from minimal (nitrous oxide) to moderate oral conscious sedation or IV sedation. The goal is to control anxiety, minimize physical discomfort, and provide a safe discharge from dental/medical supervision.
The most common types of sedation are:
Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) – a mild sedative, a mask is placed over your child’s nose and they breathe through it to induce a relaxed state. It is safe and wears off very quickly after the mask is removed.
Moderate oral sedation is used when the child has more significant anxiety or needs to be kept still for longer procedures. It is combined with local anesthesia for optimal results. It is not recommended for children with diagnosed dental phobia. For these patients, general anesthesia in an operating room may be more appropriate.