Oral health does not have to be a hard thing to do. However, it is often a hard task for most people to take care of their teeth. This is because bad habits die hard. If everyone were to be taught of proper oral health from a young age, Houston pediatric dentists would have an easier time doing their job. It is why pediatric dentistries exist all over the world.
What Is A Pediatric Dentistry?
Pediatric dentistry is a specialty of dentistry that is concerned with offering dental care to children. Pediatric dentists specialize in children’s teeth. Children have unique oral needs that cannot be addressed in the same measure as adult teeth. The mouths of children keep changing from infancy through to teenagehood. Pediatric dentists are well equipped and trained to handle the changes in the mouths of children. Besides, children are not the best in taking care of their teeth, unless with a proper guide like at greenway pediatric dentistry.
What Types of Treatments Do Pediatric Dentists Provide?
When you visit pediatric dentistry in Houston, TX, there is a lot you can expect. Pediatric dentists take care of many oral tasks on kids’ mouths, including the following:
- Tooth extraction: children have to lose their baby teeth to make room for a new set of teeth to grow. While the teeth may fall off naturally, it is not always the case. In most cases, a tooth will be shaky from the root. Removing it may require very little pressure. For some other situations, some baby teeth can be stubborn. If left unattended to, the permanent teeth will still try to grow over the other tooth. In such cases, a pediatric dentist has to extract the baby tooth to make room for the permanent tooth. This will help avoid malpositioning and overcrowding of teeth in the mouth.
- Teeth alignment: most children require help from dental devices to get their teeth growing properly. People’s bone structures differ. Some people’s teeth grow correctly aligned, while others do not. A pediatric dentist can ensure the proper alignment of a patient’s teeth while still young. This explains why braces are common among children and teenagers.
- Habit counseling: does your child still suck his/her thumb even as a teenager? This could be because you did not have the intervention of a pediatric dentist as early as possible. Bad habits are hard to break, especially for kids. Thumb sucking and teeth grinding are the most common habits that kids practice that affect their dental health. A pediatric dentist can help correct this through habit counseling.
- Preventative dental care: a dentist will observe the state of your child’s teeth to find any underlying dental problems. If, for example, one of your child’s tooth is headed towards decay, the dentist will suggest preventative measures to protect the teeth. In preventative dental care, dental sealants, dental crowns, and space maintainer are widely used. Other than that, a pediatric dentist will professionally clean your child’s teeth. This will get rid of plaque and bacteria that can cause teeth decay and other issues.
- Early assessment: you may never know what dental problem your child has. A dentist is best placed at assessing the health of teeth to identify any improper issues as well as anomalies that might result in severe dental problems.
- Management and repair of teeth: kids are not the best in taking care of teeth. Given their love for candies and playing around, their dental health is easily compromised. Pediatric dentists can manage and repair teeth problems, including cavities, chipped teeth, cracks, stains, to mention a few. This caters for other dental emergencies caused by accidents and injuries.
Why A Pediatric Dentist?
Of all the dentists you could go to for your child’s oral care, a pediatric dentist is better because:
- They are professionally trained to handle kids’ problems.
- They are kid-friendly – most dental clinics for children are customized for children with paintings, drawings, toys, and bold colors.
- They are comfortable to be around – kids are scared of hospitals, including dental facilities. A pediatric dentist is trained to help keep a child comfortable throughout dental procedures.