What Does a Pediatric Dentist do?

What Makes a Pediatric Dentist Different?

A pediatric dentist is an oral professional that is dedicated to the dental health of children who do not have all of their permanent teeth. These specialists have years of training and experience caring for children's gums, mouth, and teeth during the different stages of development.

The first set of primary teeth begin to emerge when a child is about six months old. By the age of seven, a child's primary teeth will start to fall out. Permanent teeth replace these baby teeth. When children are not given proper dental care, they are more vulnerable to issues like tooth decay and gum disease. If not promptly addressed, these issues can lead to a lifetime of dental complications and pain.

During the early stages of childhood, kids are five and seven times more likely to develop dental caries, which can lead to infections, than asthma and hay fever respectively.

What qualifications does a pediatric dentist have?

At the very least, pediatric dentists are required to have a four-year dentistry degree, and an additional two years of residency training for dealing with infants, children, teenagers, and kids with special needs.

This training and experience give them all the tools they need to provide comprehensive dental care for the young ones. Procedures often performed by pediatric dentists include:

  • Oral health examinations for infants, including assessing the risk for caries in the child and parent.
  • Preventive treatments like dental cleanings and fluoride treatments.
  • Diet and nutrition advice.
  • Counseling for bad habits like thumb sucking and excessive pacifier use.
  • Early assessment of teeth alignment and performing any treatments necessary to straighten teeth.
  • Repairing of any damage done by tooth decay or trauma.
  • Diagnosis of oral issues associated with health issues like a congenital heart defect, diabetes, hay fever, asthma, and attention deficit disorder (ADD).
  • Treatment of gum disease.
  • Treatment of soft-tissue issues like mucoceles and ulcers.
  • Treatment of damaged teeth.

How to find a pediatric dentist

There are many ways to find good pediatric dentists. Parents can ask their pediatrician, general dentist, or friends and family members for a recommendation. Search engines can also be used to locate pediatric dental clinics close to you. The effort put into finding the right professional for your child is undoubtedly worth it.

Going to the dentist's clinic is a nerve-wracking experience for many adults, and it can be even worse for children. Kids are typically not as cooperative or patient as adults, and getting them to sit still for dental treatment can be quite the task. That is why it is often best to take them to a dental professional who has lots of experience dealing with small children.

A pediatric oral professional knows the right things to say to a child to make them calm down and relax. The assistants there can also be quite helpful since they are accustomed to dealing primarily with children. Besides, the equipment at the pediatric dental clinic is customized for small children, and the waiting rooms always filled with toy and games that will make the child forget about the upcoming treatment and ease anxieties.

Are you looking for a pediatric dentist? Contact Canyon Ridge Pediatric Dentistry today at (303) 841-7900.

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