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Pediatric dentistry is a specialized field of dentistry that focuses on treating children, as they have different needs than adults. At VitaDent, we offer a comprehensive range of children’s dental services, catering to infants through to teens.
In this guide, learn more about pediatric dentistry. We discuss when to bring your child for their first dental visit and why early dental care is so important.
Read an overview of our pediatric dental services and explain what you can expect at your child’s first dental visit. Discover how preventive dentistry can help your child avoid many common dental problems.
What Is Pediatric Dentistry?
Pediatric dentistry diagnoses and treats dental health issues that affect children. Children have different dental needs from adults because their teeth and jaws are still growing. They require services designed to protect teeth as they emerge and prevent dental problems from developing.
As a child-friendly dental practice, we can help your child create healthy oral hygiene habits and teach them about the importance of good dental health.
When Should a Child First Visit a Pediatric Dentist?
We recommend scheduling your child’s first visit when their first tooth emerges, starting from age 6 months onward, and ideally by age 1. This may seem very young, but it’s the ideal time for us to gently check your child’s jaws, facial bones, and teeth are growing and developing as they should. We can also spot any potential problems early on and provide appropriate dental care to prevent them from worsening.
Why Is Early Dental Care So Important?
Some parents wonder what the point of caring for a child’s first teeth is when they will fall out after just a few years. However, children’s primary or baby teeth play a vital role in their development and growth. It’s also worth remembering that some of their milk teeth will remain in the mouth until age 12 or 13.
Your child’s primary teeth have several important functions, which are:
- Helping your child learn to speak.
- Enabling your child to eat properly and to enjoy a wider range of foods.
- Holding open the right amount of space for their adult teeth to erupt.
Establishing a Dental Home
Another reason for bringing your child to see us while they are very young is to establish a dental home where they feel safe and comfortable. Our dental team is excellent at helping children feel relaxed during appointments and goes out of their way to make every visit enjoyable.
When a child is still young, they are more likely to be curious about their environment and all the new sights, sounds, and smells rather than feeling frightened or anxious.
It is far better than waiting until a dental problem develops and having to see a dentist for the first time when they are in discomfort or pain. At that point, they may develop unpleasant associations with professional dental care and grow up with dental anxiety, fears, or phobias.
Instead, we can help them grow up seeing professional dental care as routine and something to look forward to, rather than something to fear.
Pediatric Dental Services
We can provide a wide range of preventive and restorative treatments, including:
Dental Exams and Hygiene Appointments
Regular dental exams help us monitor the development of your child’s teeth and jaws, so if any problems arise, they are more likely to be minor and easy to treat.
Hygiene appointments are essential as cleaning their teeth professionally helps prevent common problems like tooth decay and gum disease. It also ensures they enjoy fresh breath.
Dental
Education
Dental education is a vital component of our practice, serving both adults and children. Initially, our hygiene team can work with you to ensure you know how to keep your child’s teeth clean.
As they grow up, we can work with them directly, ensuring they know how to brush and floss correctly and understand the importance of doing so. As educators, we are skilled at making learning enjoyable for children.
Dental X-Rays
Children need regular dental X-rays to monitor the growth of their teeth and jaws, as well as the development of their permanent teeth beneath the gums. We also use dental X-rays to quickly diagnose any potential problems, allowing us to provide appropriate treatment.
Dental Sealants
The back teeth are particularly prone to cavities because they have chewing surfaces with deep grooves and fissures that trap food and plaque bacteria, making them challenging to keep clean.
Dental sealants seal these areas, creating a smooth, easy-to-clean surface and helping to prevent cavities. They are cost-effective and can last for years before needing replacement.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride helps harden tooth enamel and can reverse any signs of tooth decay, as well as help prevent cavities. We can apply professional-strength fluoride to your child’s teeth. Treatment is safe, quick, and effective.
Dental Fillings and Crowns
Some children are more prone to developing cavities than others. If decay develops in a tooth, we can repair it using tooth-colored composite resin or another suitable material.
If a tooth is too badly decayed, we can cover it with a dental crown. A child’s crown can be premade of stainless steel and adapted to fit over a primary tooth. Alternatively, it can be made from a tooth-colored material. The crown remains on the tooth, protecting and preserving it. The crown will fall out with the primary tooth once the adult tooth underneath is fully erupted.
Sports Mouthguards
Our custom sports mouthguards offer the maximum protection for children’s teeth and jaws during sports.
A well-fitting sports mouthguard can prevent teeth from becoming chipped, cracked, or knocked out, as well as injuries to the jaws. They are cost-effective and can prevent a lot of heartache and a lifetime of costly restorative dental bills.
Our mouthguards are comfortable to wear, neutral tasting, don’t affect breathing, and can be made in your child’s sports team's colours.
Orthodontic Evaluations
If we notice that your child’s teeth and jaws are likely to be misaligned, we may recommend an orthodontic evaluation, which can take place as early as age five or six.
Orthodontics can be useful in correcting problems caused by mouth breathing, thumb sucking, or tongue thrusting. Sometimes, early treatment may correct orthodontic problems entirely. At other times, it can shorten the time needed to wear braces during their teenage years.
See Before & After Results
What to Expect at Your Child’s First Visit
Gentle Dentistry
We are extremely gentle when treating children and take the time to reassure any anxious child, using positive reinforcement techniques. If your child is nervous or anxious, please let us know so we can spend extra time reassuring them and making them feel at ease.
A Fun Ride in the Dental Chair
A first visit is an opportunity for them to ride in the dental chair or sit comfortably on your lap if they are younger, while we take a quick look inside their mouth.
Treatments Designed for Smaller Mouths
If they require treatment, we use tools and techniques specifically designed for small mouths. Treatment will proceed at a pace they feel comfortable with, including frequent breaks if needed.
Parent and Caregiver Involvement
We keep you informed at all times, ensuring you understand what is needed, why, and how it will benefit your child’s dental health. Questions are always encouraged.
If your child is a bit older, we can explain any treatment to them directly, using child-centered language that they can easily understand.
A Custom Preventive Dental Care Plan
At the end of every dental exam, we will discuss our findings with you and can provide a custom preventive dental care plan. The plan will outline how often we anticipate your child will benefit from regular dental exams and hygiene appointments, as well as provide information on any other treatments that we believe will be beneficial, such as dental sealants or fluoride treatments.
We have worked hard to create a warm and friendly environment to help ensure a more pleasant visit for everyone, especially children.
Focusing on Preventive Dentistry
We much prefer to prevent dental problems from developing and work hard towards achieving this aim. When you and your child come to see us, some of the points we will discuss include:
- Brushing and flossing instructions, using terminology and techniques that are easy to follow and understand, and which are age-appropriate.
- Tips on cavity prevention.
- Guidance on thumb sucking or using a pacifier.
- Nutritional advice on which foods to choose for healthy teeth and gums.
- Useful tips on establishing long-term oral hygiene habits and suitable tools to try.
We welcome questions and always encourage patients of all ages to learn more about dental health. We find the more you know, the better you can take control of your own oral health and maintain it correctly.
FREQUENTLY Asked Questions
Is Fluoride Safe for Kids?
Yes, as our products are administered correctly by dental professionals, ensuring they are entirely safe and effective.
Are Dental X-rays Safe for Kids?
Yes, as our modern digital dental X-rays emit minimal amounts of radiation, and we take extensive precautions to shield children and adults during treatment. We only take X-rays when needed. It can be more harmful to leave a dental problem, such as a tooth infection, undiagnosed and untreated.
Can You Provide Sedation Dentistry for Kids?
We can provide laughing gas (nitrous oxide) for children, which is safe and fast-acting. If they need deeper sedation, then we can discuss other suitable options. Anyone receiving dental sedation is closely monitored during treatment to ensure they remain safe, comfortable, and relaxed.
Ensure your child’s smile grows strong and healthy with the caring team at VitaDent, your neighborhood dentistry center. From first visits to preventive care, we’re here for every step of your child’s dental journey. If you have any questions or want to book an appointment, contact us at (718) 766-0002 or visit our office on Avenue X in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn (11235).
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