Dentists provide dental care for children. A dentist is trained to treat infants, toddlers, preschool-aged children, and kindergarten-aged children with dental problems such as cavities or tooth decay.
They serve as the primary source of oral healthcare for young patients until they reach adolescence when their mouths are fully developed and teeth are more easily managed by an adult dentist.
What Types Of Treatments Does Dentistry Includes?
Dentists have extensive training in providing comprehensive dental care for infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents. Their training allows them to address a child’s special needs while providing the quality of oral healthcare that people expect at this stage in their development. They may provide services including
– Preventive oral healthcare and education
– Restorative care including fillings and crowns
– Periodontal care including gum surgery and bone grafting to rebuild bone under the gum tissue lost due to extensive tooth decay or periodontal disease
– Oral cancer screening using a simple visual examination of the mouth to determine if the child has any signs of oral cancer. Treatment may include the removal of a premalignant tumor or tooth, removal of cancerous tissue, and/or referral for radiation therapy to resolve any remaining tumor cells on the face or the jawbone.
Key Benefits of Dentistry
Dentists have a number of benefits to offer patients, their parents, and the healthcare system. The following are some of the key benefits that children get from dental care:
1. Shared Decision Making – Dentists take an active role in helping parents make informed decisions about their children’s oral health needs.
2. Tooth Decay and Infection Prevention – By the time a child reaches the age of 2 years old, they develop teeth and should start to learn how to brush their teeth. Under ordinary circumstances, children could start to experience tooth decay before this age. This may be due to using toothpaste that has too much fluoride for the child’s oral health needs or because the child’s saliva is not acidic enough to help protect teeth from decay.
Children who have dentists as their dental care providers begin to get regular dental care early on. This helps them avoid tooth decay and prevents them from developing infections in their teeth that can lead to permanent damage or even require the extraction of one or more teeth.
3. Oral Cancer Screening – Dentists in Airdrie are trained to perform a simple examination of the mouth to determine if there are signs of oral cancer. They may recommend treatment such as biopsy, radiation therapy, removal of part or all of the jawbone with an implant, or even surgery to remove a premalignant tumor or tooth.
4. Proper Tooth Removal – As children grow older they can begin to have proper tooth removal – removing teeth in combination with orthodontic treatment. Through their dentistry training, dentists are able to find the best solution for each child given their unique circumstances and needs.
5. Oral Health Education – Knowledge is power and the more a parent and child know about good oral hygiene and caring for their teeth, the better they will feel about their oral health needs. Children who have dentists as their dental care providers learn to brush their teeth daily.
Why Should You Take Your Child to a Dentist?
- By the time a child reaches the age of 6 years old, they are old enough to understand the need for good dental care and to know that they will need to take care of their teeth.
- Children who visit dentists in Airdrie may receive regular dental exams from 1 year old or younger until adolescence or beyond.
- Dentists are experts on specific child-dental issues. Our dentists are trained to deliver specialized care designed for children. Want to know more about our dental services? Get in touch!
- Dentists understand child behavior. It is important for parents to understand how their children behave when going to the dentist. If a child can learn a love for oral health at a young age, it will continue throughout their life. Dentists are trained to have the patience needed to communicate with children on their level to ensure they receive high-quality dental care and enjoy it!
- Dental offices offer a kid-friendly environment. Our dental offices are designed with a kid-friendly atmosphere. This means that the waiting room has fun toys, books, and interesting dental products to encourage kids to want to come back for more treatment! Our staff is trained on how to get kids into a seat and into the “zone” for treatment.
How To Find The Right Dentist In Airdrie, Alberta
Finding the right children’s dentist can be time-consuming. However, this is your child’s safety and health, so we would like to share some things that you should consider while looking for the right dentist in Airdrie.
1. Experience – You need a dentist that has a lot of experience. This is because children have different oral health issues than adults and this requires their dentists to be trained to understand the intricacies of caring for children’s oral health needs.
2. Availability – When you are looking for the right dentist in Airdrie, make sure that he or she is available 24/7. Waiting for an emergency appointment can be very frustrating especially if your child has a toothache that needs immediate attention.
3. Specialized Training – A good dentist has undergone specialized training in treating children’s oral health needs. They have worked with children from infancy until adolescence and understand what is and is not appropriate for each age group.
4. Referrals – There are many dental practices in Airdrie, Alberta that may be suitable for your family. However, if you know of a family that your child gets along with well, they may be able to give you the name of a dentist they like and trust.
