What Procedures Do Pediatric Dentists Do?
Dentists focusing on pediatrics are experts in attending to the dental needs of the younger population, including babies, little ones, and adolescents. Pediatric Dentistry encompasses the delivery of specialized care to young individuals, ensuring they maintain good dental health, and proactively identifying any issues that could affect them later in life. Moreover, these dental professionals play a crucial role in teaching both the children under their care and their parents about the significance of maintaining oral hygiene through regular dental check-ups, advice, and treatments for teeth that might be at risk.
Oral Health Exams
Your first visit to your local pediatric dentist may involve a consultation appointment or an oral health examination of your child. Dental scanning technologies such as X-rays and computer imaging allow pediatric dentists to evaluate and correct oral health problems in young children and follow up with the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Cavity Treatment
As infants and young children chew their food, bacteria and food deposits can build up in the mouth if proper oral hygiene is not followed. Foods and drinks with a lot of sugar can slowly deteriorate a child’s teeth, lead to loss of enamel, and create cavities that can lead to nerve damage and potential early tooth extraction.
When a pediatric dentist identifies a cavity, they can repair the affected tooth using tooth-colored fillings. Still, if the cavity is too deep, a pulpotomy nerve treatment may be necessary. To prevent cavities from forming in the first place, pediatric dentists highly recommend brushing and flossing twice a day.
Fluoride Treatment
Pediatric dentists also use fluoride to treat cavities that form from the weakening of the enamel’s mineral composition. These fluoride treatments aid in the re-mineralization of teeth helping to prevent future cavities. For at-home remedies, pediatric dentists highly recommend children’s anti-cavity toothpaste and mouth rinses.
Dental Cleaning
A complete mouth cleaning is also a service many pediatric dentists provide. During a typical dental visit, the dentist assistant or hygienist usually reviews a child’s medical history followed by a mouth examination. The cleaning itself includes the removal of plaque and calculus, which can cause cavities and gum disease. After the cleaning is complete, the hygienist applies fluoride to the teeth to help protect and strengthen them against decay. Pediatric dentists recommend visiting your local dental office at least every six months for proper oral health and tooth development for a child to have a healthy set of teeth.
X-Rays
To have an in-depth view of the mouth, pediatric dentists rely on x-rays to examine each tooth to ensure they grow normally and identify irregularities. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends X-ray examinations every six months for children with a high risk of tooth decay. On the other hand, children with a low risk of tooth decay require X-rays less frequently. What a person cannot see with the naked eye, an x-ray examination is an ideal method to observe what is under the teeth and the gums. This allows pediatric dentists to identify tooth abscesses, tooth decay, and crooked tooth roots.
