Paediatric Dentistry is the practice of teaching and research into the comprehensive and therapeutic oral health care for kids from birth to adult age, including care for children who show physical, intellectual, medical, psychological and emotional problems. Objectives and aims of paediatric dentistry are as follows:
- Health of the kid as a whole
- More specifically concerned with kids dental care
- Early diagnosis and immediate treatment
- Restoring the mouth to better health
- To observe and control the required developing dentition of child patient
- Relief of pain
- Increasing the knowledge of dental care
- Instil a positive attitude and behaviour
- Restore the lost tooth structure
- Management of special patients
The first visit of the kid to the dental clinic should happen within 6 months of the eruption of the first milk tooth.
What Do Paediatric Dentists Do?
Paediatric dental specialists conduct all the routine check-ups and treatments children need to maintain good oral health. Below are some of the most common treatments these specialists perform:
Routine Check-ups
Routine check-ups usually include a professional cleaning that removes the unhealthy build-up of plaque and tartar on the teeth, but the examination by the paediatric dentist is mostly the most vital part of the check-up appointment. The exam makes sure the child’s teeth and gums are developing normally, and provides the dentist an opportunity to treat any issues as they appear.
X-Rays
Teens and kids should have dental x-rays once a year to detect any kind of issues that might be lurking below the surface of the teeth and gums. X-rays show the dentist issues like decay in between the teeth and cavities that are not visible with the naked eye. As a child’s permanent teeth start coming in, x-rays can detect problems in alignment well before the teeth emerge, as well as catch affected teeth before they become a problem. If the dentist in South Chicago at Family Dental spots any issues in development, the child might need more than one x-ray per year.
Fillings
Tooth decay and cavities are the most common dental issue in children. Filling those cavities cOULD restore the teeth to normal function, but mostly fillings aren’t fun even for adults. A paediatric dentist has the skill to put fillings in smaller mouths and make it seem more fun one can even think of. Procedures like this prove the benefits of paediatric dental training even more obvious and important.
Sealants
Prevention is always the best medicine, especially when growing teeth are included. Sealants are the best preventive measure and are also a quick and simple way to keep cavities from forming in the first place. A sealant is a slim coating applied to the chewing surface of the teeth. It’s painted on and toughens almost on contact, so kids can go right back to chewing with minimum downtime. Sealants avoid up to 80 percent of cavities in molars. The process is mostly very quick, and requires no numbing or drilling.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride varnish is one more great preventative measure paediatric dentists provide. Another painless and quick procedure, fluoride varnish is applied to the top and sides of every tooth using a small brush.
Braces
Many paediatric dental practices provide assessment for orthodontic services as well. While paediatric dentistry and orthodontics are two different dental specialties, paediatric dentists have lots of training in orthodontics and are mostly the first ones to diagnose any orthodontic problems. And because they have more experience with developing mouths, they may better predict the course of the child’s progress or spot new issues faster.
