Paediatric Dentistry: A Parent's Guide

Being a parent does not come with a handbook or guide, and one has to learn to handle all kinds of situations as they come. Each child has a different genetic make-up, and growing up they can face assorted health issues.

Some of these are fairly common to almost all children, especially dental challenges like milk teeth, cavities and caries. While your paediatrician is well-equipped to handle your children's general health issues, you need to reach out to a paediatric dentist for oral care matters.

A child's good health and bright smile are the most precious for any parent. Regular dental checks ensure that the teeth and gums of the child are healthy and strong, so that not only can they chew and eat properly, but their speech development is also enhanced.

Common Paediatric Dental Procedures:

Fillings: In case of cavities caused by tooth decay, a dentist needs to clean, remove the damaged portion, disinfect and replace the damaged area with a filling material like ceramic or silver amalgam. These can last a few years, and have to be replaced once they wear off.

Extractions:

A tooth may need to be extracted if it has grown in an awkward position, affecting the adjacent teeth or it has been partially damaged / broken. The tooth is removed through a minor surgical procedure.

Orthodontic treatments:

Children with unaligned teeth, improper bites, malocclusions, and other dental irregularities, need the help of fixed / removable appliances such as braces or aligners, as a corrective treatment. The whole process can take between few months to 2 - 3 years, depending on what the issue is.

Dental crowns:

If a tooth has been badly damaged due to tooth decay, fracture, pulpotomy, or other severe dental issues, a paediatric dental crown is fixed like a cap on the affected tooth, to restore its shape, size, strength and appearance.

Pulpotomy Treatment

When a cavity/decay reaches the nerve of the root, but there is no infection present, a pulpotomy treatment is done. In this procedure, the decayed part is removed, the pulp chamber is cleaned and then a pulp-compatible material is placed there. It is covered with a full crown to ensure that the tooth structure and nerve treatment is protected.

For children up to the age of 13, a paediatric dentist is always preferred over a regular dentist, as they are more experienced in handling dental issues related to young children, and also know how to effectively interact with them.

To consult one of our paediatric dentists at Apollo, please contact: 18001020288