Dentistry for Kids
Portland, OR
 Dentistry for kids is dedicated to children’s oral health from infancy to their teen years. It ensures care for a child’s gums and teeth throughout their childhood. Kids have their first set of teeth erupted by the age of six months, and they lose them around six to seven years of age. The second set of permanent teeth replaces the temporary first set of teeth which is what is commonly known as our adult teeth.
During this period, proper dental care is necessary to avoid decay and common oral infections. This helps avoid a lifetime of oral complications. Elliott Dentistry has all the expertise to help you understand the importance of dentistry for kids.
Treatments and Techniques in Dentistry for Kids
There are many different treatments and techniques we are skilled in with dentistry for kids. These involve various methods of assessing and improving a kid’s oral health. Some of the treatments and techniques are discussed below.
Infant oral health exams are performed on the child to check the overall oral health and ensure there are no underlying problems. These also include assessing the child for the risks of childhood dental cavities and decay.
Preventive dental care for children involves treatments like cleaning and fluoride treatments. Nutrition and diet recommendations are a part of preventative care as well. Proper nutrition aids in proper growth, whereas diet recommendations allow the parents to know which edibles are good or bad for their child’s oral health.
Habit therapy holds due importance when it comes to a child’s oral health. Common oral habits like thumb sucking and tongue thrusting can affect the alignment of a kid’s denticles. Managing these is important for future oral health and speech.
These habits also cause a condition called “open bite,” causing a space between the upper and lower teeth. Habit therapy involves either simple counseling to retrain the child from these habits or using preventive oral appliances in severe cases. This also involves diagnosing oral conditions associated with other health conditions like diabetes, congenital heart defects, hay fever, asthma, and attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder.
Treatments and techniques also involve the management of gum diseases and conditions. These include ulcers, mucoceles, short frenulum, and pediatric periodontal disease. Care for dental injuries like fractured, knocked-out, or displaced teeth is also a part of dentistry for kids.
Benefits Of Dentistry for Kids
Dentistry for kids allows your child to establish lifelong oral habits like brushing and flossing at an early age. Also, it aids in dropping harmful habits such as thumb sucking.
Our dentists can help develop positive dental experiences for a child. This adds to their confidence and prevents them from missing out on dental appointments out of fear.
Baby teeth play an essential role in forming the foundation for good oral health. They are also known to work as a guide for adult teeth. Any problem like an extraction, decay, and wrong alignment of primary teeth may lead the secondary teeth to grow in the wrong spot or angle.
Checking for decays is essential because during the temporary teeth replacement by the permanent teeth, the temporary teeth, if left in a decaying state, may affect the secondary teeth. The correct alignment of the teeth is also necessary for performing routine oral activities efficiently. Elliott Dentistry can be reached through (503) 661-6111 to book an appointment for your child. |
