What Are the Most Common Dental Procedures in Pediatrics?

When was the last time you took your child to visit a dentist? Admittedly, many parents only have their children visit dentists when they have underlying oral problems. Therefore, children’s first encounters with dental experts are when getting treatment for tooth cavities or other dental infections. Instead, capitalize on pediatrics, which offers incredible services to promote holistic health for your child from a very early age.

What Is Pediatrics?

It is a branch of medicine that deals with children and their varying diseases. In dentistry, pediatrics entails diagnosing and treating oral problems common among children from infancy to teenage years.

If you want the best dental care services for your child, identify a pediatric dentist near you with tons of experience and training on children’s oral needs. It is not to say that general dentists in North Branch cannot handle your child’s oral needs. Instead, a pediatric dentist has specialized in that area enough to offer the best care to your child.

What Are the Prevalent Oral Problem That Pediatric Dentists Treats?

Children are susceptible to many oral problems, the common ones including the following:

1. Tooth cavities and dental decay
2. Mouth ulcers or sores
3. Gum disease
4. Dental fractures – can involve a cracked or broken tooth or a broken jaw bone.

The Most Common Dental Procedures in Pediatric Dentistry

Children are prone to various oral problems revolving around poor oral hygiene and dental trauma. Therefore, some of the popular treatments in pediatric dentistry are:

1. Tooth extractions – Young children can need help removing their baby teeth to create room for permanent teeth. Besides, kids often suffer severe dental decay that can necessitate tooth extraction.
2. Dental sealants – are types of tooth fillings that protect the molars and premolars from bacteria and acids that cause tooth decay. At Thumbs Up Dental – North Branch, we administer dental sealants to children of cavity-prone ages of 6 to 14 years.
3. Fluoride treatment – any pediatric dentist’s office near you will offer fluoride treatment to help strengthen your child’s teeth. The natural mineral will also enrich teeth’ enamels, heightening their resistance to bacteria and enamel-eroding acids that can cause tooth cavities and dental decay.
4. Dental cleanings – routine cleanings by a dentist or dental hygienist do not only benefit adults. Instead, children too need a little help maintaining excellent oral hygiene. If anything, children may need dental cleanings more because they often slack in dental hygiene measures at home.
5. Dental braces – orthodontic treatments for children are not a novel or foreign concept. In fact, many people identify braces as oral devices for straightening children’s teeth. Pediatric dentists stake high success rates when children begin their orthodontic treatments early instead of when they are adults.

Do Children Need Pediatric Dentists?

Although a general dentist can cater to your child’s oral health, a pediatric dentist is better. Some of the reasons why your child should visit a pediatric dentist are:

1. Child-friendly environment and services – since pediatric dentists have specialized in children’s dental care, they have created environments and packaged their services to befit children’s liking. Therefore, your child is more likely to enjoy dental care in a pediatric dental clinic as opposed to a regular general dental facility.
2. Specialist treatment – pediatric dentists customize their services to the children’s specific needs concerning their oral health.
3. Dental emergencies – you do not have to find a different dental clinic that can cater to your child’s emergency oral problems.
4. Nutritional counseling – a pediatric dentist will not just overlook the fact that your child has a liking for sweet foods instead of vegetables and foods. Instead, pediatric dentists make it their priority to educate parents on different strategies that can help them improve their kids’ eating habits.
5. Habit counseling – do you struggle to get your child to quit certain oral habits? You do not have to take up the task by yourself. Instead, lean on a pediatric dentist near you for habit counseling to help your child stop using the pacifiers, thumb sucking, or fingernail biting.