What People Should Know About Pediatric Dental Care!

As a parent, what do you know about pediatric dentistry? Perhaps you have not seen a dentist with your child yet, or you have already seen one but are still unclear on some of the basics concerning it. Read on as we give you important information about castle hills pediatric dentistry and how to best prepare your child and yourself for scheduling a visit. We will also tell you what you can expect if you see a pediatric dentist in your area.

A family or general dentist and a pediatric dentist are not the same.

Pediatric dentists specialize in treating children, while family or general dentists treat patients of all ages. Having a Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine degree means a person has completed 4 years of dental training and passed the needed state exams to practice as a family dentist in castle hills of Lewisville. With pediatric dentistry, a specialist earns a DMD or DDS degree before completing 2 or 3 years of additional training at an accredited institution. With this added schooling, the dentist gains additional knowledge in oral development, orthodontics, surgeries, and psychology, as well as mental development specific to children.

Children get all their baby teeth by age 2 to 3 and lose them by 12 to 13.

The first teeth of your child will come out before your first birthday. By 3 years of age, they will have all 20 of their baby teeth, so they should be eating and chewing by then. This will not last long, however, as they will start losing their front teeth by age 6. As their baby teeth start to fall out, they will then be replaced by adult teeth. Their rear molars are the last ones to be replaced and will not fall out until about 12 or 13 years of age.

Kids should start seeing their dentist earlier than you may think.

Many parents think that their children only need to see a pediatric dentist once they get all their teeth. However, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, it is recommended that a child should start going to the dentist much earlier. You should bring your kid to the dentist for the first time when they get their first tooth or when they turn a year old, whichever comes first. This will make sure that the child will be familiar with visiting the dentist, and any potential health problem can be identified as early as possible.

Establishing a “Dental Home” is important for a child’s oral health.

A “dental home” is a pediatric dentist where the child will get most of their general and preventive dental care as they age and grow. Establishing one has many benefits. For one, the child will develop a real relationship with the dentist and the staff, so they will feel more comfortable and safe during routine visits. This also allows dentists to track the child’s health more effectively, and give custom care to keep their smiles healthy and strong. This can even help you save time and money because you can prevent common oral health problems like tooth decay.

The child should have an orthodontic consultation by age 7.

This might seem a bit too early, but it is a good idea to consult a pediatric dentist for an orthodontic evaluation by age 7, which is the time that the child will start losing their baby teeth and the adult teeth will start to erupt. If the pediatric dentist will notice a potential issue with the child’s bite and smile early on, they can recommend appropriate steps that will help improve the oral development of the child and minimize their need for orthodontic treatment in the future.