Why a Pediatric Dentist

Well, it boils down to simple psychology. If we can associate dental visits from our childhood with happy memories, we are more likely to continue to visit the dentist as adults.

Healthy teeth are important regardless of age. When making new friends, going on a first date, or on a job interview, a bright smile boosts self-confidence. Good dental hygiene and healthy gums contribute to our wellness and help maintain the quality of life well into old age by reducing the risk of serious diseases and enabling us to enjoy all the foods we love.

Proper and consistent preventive care can help us avoid heartaches and expenses related to extensive and invasive dental treatment. With two additional years of specialized training beyond dental school, pediatric dentists are best suited to treat children of all ages to ensure they have a positive experience at the onset so that they may become responsible dental patients for life.

What do Pediatric Dentists do differently?

Counseling for new parents

Teeth are generally not on the minds of new parents. After all, babies are born without teeth and you have much bigger fish to fry. Like getting your baby to sleep throughout the night. However, parents of newborns can get valuable tips from speaking with a pediatric dentist including:

• How to build healthy oral habits right from the start
• How to prevent your little one from getting cavities as soon as they’re getting their first tooth

What do Pediatric Dentists do differently?

Counseling for new parents

Teeth are generally not on the minds of new parents. After all, babies are born without teeth and you have much bigger fish to fry. Like getting your baby to sleep throughout the night. However, parents of newborns can get valuable tips from speaking with a pediatric dentist including:

• How to build healthy oral habits right from the start
• How to prevent your little one from getting cavities as soon as they’re getting their first tooths

Building trust with young dental patients

According to the American Dental Association, the fear of going to the dentist is the second leading reason, after cost, for not visiting the dentist more frequently.

In addition to receiving specialized clinical training in children’s oral health, Pediatric Dentists are trained to make children feel comfortable and at ease with being in the dentist’s chair by:

• Creating a child-friendly practice environment
• Talking to children and explaining treatments at an appropriate level for their age

Creating a child-friendly practice environment

It’s no surprise that when it comes to healthy teeth, diet plays just as much of a role as brushing and flossing. We will review with you and your child which foods are more likely to cause cavities and how to make better food choices.

Without proper dental care, children face possible oral decay and disease that can cause a lifetime of pain and complications. Today, early childhood dental cavities are 5 times more common in children then asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.

What Kind of Training Do Pediatric Dentists Have?

Pediatric dentists have completed at least:

• Four years of dental school
• Two additional years of residency training in dentistry for infants, children, teens, and children with special needs##

What Types of Treatments Do Pediatric Dentists Provide?

Pediatric dentists provide comprehensive oral health care that includes the following:

• Infant oral health exams, which include risk assessment for caries in mother and child
• Preventive dental care including cleaning and fluoride treatments, as well as nutrition and diet recommendations
• Habit counseling (for example, pacifier use and thumb sucking)
• Early assessment and treatment for straightening teeth and correcting an improper bite (orthodontics)
• Repair of tooth cavities or defects
• Diagnosis of oral conditions associated with diseases such as diabetes, congenital heart defect, asthma, hay fever, and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder
• Management of gum diseases and conditions including ulcers, short frenulae, mucoceles, and pediatric periodontal disease
• Care for dental injuries (for example, fractured, displaced, or knocked-out teeth)