Restorative Dentistry Restorative Dentistry

Paediatric Dentistry Near Me

Description

Many parents are happy to take their children to either a general or family dentist offering general oral health care for most ages. For those who might need a little extra care or specialised treatments, paediatric dental care offers that little bit more.

Paediatric dentists undergo specialist training to focus on children’s dental care and development to give a specialised service to their patients.

For more on paediatric dental care, the treatments and services they provide, and the best way to find a paediatric dentist near you, keep reading! We’ve got it all right here at The Dental Register.

What Is Paediatric Dentistry?

Paediatric dentistry is the dental care of children, carried out by a dentist with specialist training. Specialists care for children’s oral health as their mouths and teeth develop.

A lot of the care provided by paediatric dentists is preventative and teaches children how to care for their teeth and gums properly.

Children’s baby teeth tend to come in at around 6 months before being replaced by their secondary, permanent teeth at around 6 years of age. Paediatric dentistry focuses on providing dental care that prevents oral decay or gum disease to help children avoid complications as they grow.

What Treatments Can Paediatric Dentists Provide?

Paediatric dentistry covers a lot of treatment options for children. These include;

Oral health examinations

Oral health examinations on infants cover risk assessment and preventative advice. This is a great way to diagnose any dental anomalies that may cause issues in the future, and advise on what treatments are available.

Preventative care

Further preventative dental care such as fluoride treatments to strengthen teeth, cleaning and dietary and nutrition advice.

A fluoride treatment is used to coat the teeth, strengthening the enamel and protecting against plaque. It has also been shown to help to repair minor damage when combined with dietary changes.

Dietary and nutritional advice can also help to protect against disease and other dental issues that may occur.

Habit counselling

Counselling for habits such as the use of dummies or thumb sucking. Paediatric dentistry can help children break bad habits – catching this early can remove the need for orthodontic care later in life.

Orthodontics

Early orthodontic assessment for teeth straightening and correcting a misaligned bite.
The most common orthodontic treatment for children are braces that help straighten or realign teeth. However, orthodontic surgery may be required in more serious cases.

Restorative treatments

Restorative treatments such as the repair of cavities and defects. As paediatric dentistry focuses on primary teeth, the dentist would assess what suitable treatment would be necessary in each case.

Diagnosis of oral conditions

Diagnosing oral conditions linked to diabetes, asthma, hay fever, ADHD, and congenital heart defects is an important part of paediatric dentistry.

Early diagnosis can help the treatment and management of any conditions discovered.

Care for dental trauma

As we all know, children are prone to falling or having accidents. This can damage their teeth, so caring for dental trauma such as fractured or knocked-out teeth is a big part of paediatric dentistry.

Managing existing conditions

Managing existing gum diseases such as paediatric periodontal disease, mucoceles, and ulcers can require extra care to treat.

The dentist will use their specialist expertise to treat the condition and advise on any home care needed to ease any discomfort or pain.

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    Frequently asked Questions

    Paediatric dentists look after your child oral health until they reach 18 years of age.After this, you may need to make alternative arrangements for any further dental care. But don’t worry – this is easy to do using our search tool.

    General dentists and family dentists offer similar treatments but may differ in the age group of patients they provide their service to. General dental care may not offer some specific services for children, whereas family dentists offer services for all age groups.

    A paediatric dentist specialises in children under the age of 18. If your child is having issues or requires a particular treatment, they may be referred to a paediatric dentist.

    It is recommended that children are first taken to see a dentist between 6 months to 1 year old.

    If you have any doubts or questions regarding your child’s oral hygiene earlier than this, don’t hesitate to book an appointment – paediatric specialists will help to give you peace of mind and fix any issues before they become serious.