Is the specialty that deals with the care of
children's teeth. The pedodontist is extensively concerned with prevention,
which includes instruction in proper diet,
use of fluoride, and practice of oral hygiene.
The pedodontist's routine practice deals basically with caries (tooth
decay) but
includes influencing tooth alignment. Lengthy treatment may be required.
The
pediatric dentist is the specialist who is dedicated to the oral health
of children from infancy through the teenage years.
The very young, pre-teens and teenagers all need a different approach
in dealing
with their behavior, guiding their dental growth and development,
and helping them avoid future dental problems.
Sealants
: Sealants help preventing tooth decay (dental
caries), the most common dental disease among children.
Your dentist can help prevent or reduce the incidence
of decay by applying them to your child’s teeth.
A sealant is a clear plastic material that, when applied
to the chewing surface of a tooth, bonds into the grooves
of the tooth to act as a barrier protecting the enamel
from plaque and acids. It is applied to the back teeth
(premolars and molars) where decay occurs most often.
Sealant is most effective for children age 6 and older.
Does the Process Hurt? :
Sealants are easy and painless for your dentist to apply,
and it only takes a few minutes to seal each tooth. As
long as the
sealant remains intact, the sealed tooth surface will
be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the
force of normal chewing and usually last several years.
During your regular dental visits, your dentist will check
the condition of the sealants
and reapply them if necessary.
Topical
Fluoride :
Sealants are
easy and painless for your dentist to apply, and it only
takes a few minutes to seal each tooth. As long as the
sealant remains intact, the sealed tooth surface will
be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the
force of normal chewing and usually last several years.
During your regular dental visits, your dentist will check
the condition of the sealants and reapply them if necessary.
Space maintainer
:
An appliance
used to maintain the space of a prematurely lost
primary tooth until the eruption of the permanent
successor.
This will prevent later space problems and reduces
the
possibility of the need for orthodontic treatment.
Crowns
:
Two types of crowns
are available and can be used in children. The first is
the stainless steel crown, which is used to restore a
largely decayed primary molar, or a pulpally treated molar.
The second is the cellulose crown and is used to restore
an anteriorly decayed incisor.
