Pediatric Dentists
Pediatric Dentistry is focused on the oral health of children from birth through college age and is a recognized specialty of the dental profession—requiring specialty training dedicated to Pediatrics for an additional 2-3 years. Training programs are in hospital and university settings and allow the Pediatric Dentist to perform hospital-based dentistry. A Pediatric Dentist has completed a four-year Dental School and an additional specialized residency program.
Children are not small adults. They are constantly changing and maturing. Their growth and development can last for almost 20 years. This happens in stages and is different from child to child. There are no constants in a developing child! Changes are happening at all times and sometimes at alarming rates!
A child will get their first tooth within the first six months of life. The teeth start erupting in the child’s mouth over time. By 2.5 to 3 years old, the child should have all 20 of their baby teeth. The pediatric dental patient needs to have preventative dental care started at least at 18 months. Without preventative care, children can face oral decay and disease.
Dental disease can cause pain and be debilitating. Severe tooth decay can affect a child’s developing teeth and their future permanent teeth. The pediatric patient‘s systemic and physical health can also be stressed and can lead to many medical complications. Dental caries (tooth decay) has to be treated as an infectious disease, as it can easily be transmitted from mother to infant. Therefore, expectant mothers should have a preventative dental health plan. Routine appointments are extremely prudent during the pregnancy. It has been reported that dental caries is five times more common in children than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever.
Because of their specialty training, Pediatric Dentists use special equipment and management techniques to examine and successfully treat their patients in a safe and comfortable manner. Treating pediatric dental patients is often unpredictable and many times the treatment must be changed to accommodate the changing needs of the pediatric patient. A Pediatric Dentist works with the parent and the child to discuss the carious process, as well as the options and choices. The Pediatric Dentist also has a close relationship with the patient’s Pediatrician. This becomes a team approach. There is always an open line of communication and understanding. A specific treatment plan is then presented that will optimize the delivery of safe and preventative pediatric dental care.
The Pediatric Dentist performs many types of dental treatments from birth to college age. The first visit for the infant involves a complete oral health exam and preventative care, covering nutrition and diet recommendations. The Pediatric Dentist has a chance to develop a risk assessment for caries/decay for the mother and the infant patient.
The infant’s first visit at 18 months affords the mother a chance to discuss with the Pediatric Dentist the child’s individual needs and his susceptibility to dental disease. The team will offer instructions in how to care for his teeth with age-appropriate toothbrushes and the need for vitamins and fluoride supplements. Parents who have special needs children can discuss specific issues and review the delivery preventative care in a safe and appropriate manner.
It is so important that the infant dental patient and their Pediatric Dentist develop an individualized dental health program. Based on a risk assessment, the Pediatric Dentist can present an anticipatory guidance program concerning growth and developmental issues. A specific plan for emergency dental trauma can be put into place. Sometimes it is necessary to refer to other dental/medical specialists, which give the parent an easy and efficient way of controlling their infant’s dental health.
The infant care appointment emphasizes preventative management systems for the lifetime of healthy teeth and sound oral health. Discussion might also include habit counseling and the effects of pacifier use and thumb sucking. The parent will also be informed of the various stages of tooth growth and development.
A Pediatric Dentist plays an important role in your infant’s new life. They are an important part of the medical team, which can work together to give the patient the specialized care that can last throughout his or her life.