Many parents are choosing a paediatric dentist for their children. From an early age, it is very important that children understand the important of oral hygiene and that their teeth are monitored so that they grow in strong and straight with no decay or damage. This is particularly important to prevent long term problems in adulthood, which can be costly and painful.
While you may already have a family dentist who performs the regular check-ups and dental treatments, you may want to consider consulting with a specialist who is experienced in dealing with children’s dentistry. Their specialist training will help them to give your child the specific help they need. For example, ensuring the teeth grow in straight, making sure their teeth are strong and that decay is kept at bay. They will also have a friendly manner and be good with children, which is very important because a trip to the dentist can be scary.
Dental treatments for children are very different to those for adults, which is why this is a specialist area. In the first instance, their mouths are much smaller, but they are also at different stages of tooth development, depending upon their age, so it is important that this is taken into consideration. A specialist will understand this and know exactly how to treat the child without damaging any teeth which are still growing and forming.
Because a paediatric dentist has detailed experience in all the phases of a child’s oral development, they will be better at diagnosing treatments suitable for their age and oral development. The transition from baby teeth to permanent teeth is a vital part of growing up and a specialist will help to ensure the adult teeth that grow in are straight and healthy.
Much of their dentistry will involve preventative care with regular check-ups, and lots of good advice to teach the children good oral health care for life. However, if a child as serious problems or any damage to the teeth has occurred, then the specialist will have the knowledge and correctly sized equipment to deal with it effectively.
Many parents say they have chosen a paediatric dentist for their children to ensure they have no serious problems with their teeth in adult hood, and in the hope that they can avoid painful fillings or dental surgeries when they are adults.
Good dental surgeries will always make children and families welcome, and practices will usually have one partner who specialises in treating children of all ages.
If you think your child needs a paediatric dentist, the first step is to take them for a check-up with your family dentist, the practise may have a specialist in house, then after advice you can always have a paediatric specialist refereed to you that you can take your child too.
By getting your child the right dental care form an early age, you will be helping them throughout their lives, to have healthy, attractive teeth, and preventing serious problems from occurring in the future.