Children's Dentistry
Pediatric Dentistry is for children and adolescents. In this specialized area, we take care of the temporary teeth of the youngest members of the family, up to 12 years old when the mixed dentition ends and the final one begins. In this sense, the treatment of primary teeth is also necessary, since it can have a direct impact on the final teeth.
The pediatric dentistry is directed to the prevention of dental diseases, hence the importance of taking your children from very early ages to visit the dentist.
The most important thing in our children’s dental care is education. If we teach them early to take care of their mouth, as a normal everyday habit, we will surely achieve good oral health over time. However, a pediatric dentist also performs conservative and restorative treatments and plays a fundamental prevention role. Teaching them habits of hygiene and oral care is essential to prevent dental problems in the future.
Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy mouth and is the main objective of pediatric dentistry.
Taking your children to a checkup with the Pediatric Dentist once a year, will ensure a healthy mouth.
We work with children, but we also educate parents so they know how to guide their children with their oral health.
Pediatric dentistry is also a specialty closely related to orthodontics, since one of the most important functions of the pediatric dentist is to detect possible anomalies in the position of the teeth in children.
The prevention and early diagnosis are the pillars to avoid more important problems when the child grows, so it is recommended to visit the pediatric dentist when the child is about a year and make periodic visits during childhood and adolescence.
It is recommended to visit the dentist after the eruption of the first teeth, when the baby is about 6 months. From this moment, you should control the dental eruption and the hygiene of your baby, as well as having periodic checkups.
Approximately, at 2-3 years old, your child should have all the temporary teeth in the mouth and at 6 years old his or her final permanent tooth will come out. Then we recommend a visit to the orthodontist in case it would be convenient to modify the growth of the jaws or create space for the rest of definitive teeth, it is the ideal moment.
Since the first tooth erupts, usually happens after 6 months, you should clean them with the help of a gauze. Once the molars erupt you can start using an appropriate toothbrush.
Brushing requires a certain skill so during the first years you should help your child to clean his or her teeth. By 5-6 years old, children will have already acquired enough skill to brush their teeth by themselves but you should continue to monitor it, and help if necessary, especially at night.
The teeth should be cleaned after every meal and before going to bed. Children should learn from simple good habits and responsibility about their oral hygiene to keep their teeth healthy for a lifetime.
Tooth decay or dental caries
The majority of children have caries in preschool age. There is even the so-called tooth decay bottle. Decay is a very common and transmissible chronic infection. The treatment will depend on the amount of tissue of the affected tooth. In case it only affects the enamel and the dentin, a filling will be made. If the caries are deeper, it may be necessary to remove the nerve and assess the reconstruction.
Trauma
It is common for children to bump or fall, and this can cause breakage or tooth loss. In these cases, it will be necessary to carry out a restoration or, if the appropriate conditions have been met, the reimplantation of the tooth will be possible.
Sealed cracks
Seals of fissures consist of placing a filling material (composite resins) in the pits and fissures that a tooth presents. They can be the cause of posterior caries. To do this, a physical barrier is placed to prevent bacteria from causing decay.
Alterations in the position of the teeth
The pediatric dentist can detect alterations of the bite and refer the child to the orthodontist to begin a proper treatment.
Congenital alterations
There are several alterations that can affect the number, size and shape of teeth. Some of the most common are the following: there are more or less teeth, the first dentition does not come out, or the final teeth do not erupt.
Sometimes, a quick action can make the recovery of that tooth possible. Keep calm, collect it from the ground holding it by the crown, no by the root and if possible wash it with saline solution or water, never use soap or brush the root.
You should try to place the tooth in its place making sure it is in the correct position and go immediately to the dentist. Keep the tooth in a glass of milk (if possible whole).
You could take it inside your mouth next to your cheek or under your tongue, in contact with your saliva. Time factor is the most important factor in the success of tooth reimplantion.
Breast milk is the best food a mother can offer to her newborn child as it confers nutritional and immunological benefits.
The newborn presents a physiological mandibular retrognathism (small and delayed mandible). During breastfeeding, a mandibular advancement movement occurs until the alveolar ridge is placed parallel to the maxillary ridge, in order to press the nipple and release the milk. This repetitive exercise favors the growth and development of the orofacial muscles and the jaw.
It is shown that children who have not breastfed have a higher rate of mandibular retrognathism and dental malocclusions. Therefore, we can say that breastfeeding is the first orthodontic appliance.
It is very important to maintain the health of milk teeth. Caries that are not treated often lead to problems that affect permanent teeth.
The primary teeth or milk teeth have numerous functions: they are important for chewing and proper feeding. They provide space for permanent teeth and guide them to the correct position. They also allow the normal development of the bones and muscles of the jaw. They affect the development of speech and give an attractive appearance. While the incisors last until 6-7 years of age, the posterior teeth (canines and molars) are not replaced until children are 10-13 years old.
Dental brushing is one of the most important tasks for dental health. Many toothpastes can damage younger smiles, either because they contain strong abrasives, which can damage the enamel of children's teeth or because they are simply inadequate.
The national and international recommendations on the prevention of caries in infants and children tell us that since the first tooth appears, they should brush their teeth with a toothpaste that contains at least 1,000 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride.
Remember that children should spit toothpaste after brushing to avoid too much fluoride. If too much fluoride is swallowed, a condition known as fluorosis may occur. The amount of paste on the brush should be equivalent to the size of a rice granite in 3-year-old children, while in older children it must be equivalent to the size of a pea.
The protocols of the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommend radiographs and visits to the pediatric dentist every six months for children with a high risk of dental caries. When the risk of caries is lower, the need for radiographs is logically smaller and more spaced in time.
Approximately every 30 months, it is a good idea to obtain a complete set of x-rays, either orthopantomography or periapical.
The risk from an X-ray is negligible. In fact, dental x-rays represent a much smaller risk than an undetected and untreated dental problem. Body lead aprons and shields will protect your child. Today's equipment filters unnecessary X-rays and restricts the X-ray beam to the area of interest. High-speed films and adequate shielding ensure that your child receives a minimum amount of exposure to radiation.