Deciduous Tooth

The main branch of science that deals with the oral and dental health of children from birth to adolescence is called pedodontics, or pediatric dentistry. The pedodontics branch, which deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up processes of possible dental problems in children, is also of great importance for having healthy teeth in adulthood. Specialist Dentist Emin Serhat Arıkan, who serves patients in Adana, explained what children's teeth are and what treatments are applied in children's dental health.

What is Pediatric Dentistry (Pedodontics)?

Pediatric dentistry is a branch of dentistry specifically focused on protecting the oral and dental health of children between 0-13 years of age. Both preventive and therapeutic applications are available to protect oral and dental health in children. It ensures the protection of primary teeth and permanent teeth, and eliminates possible problems that may occur on the teeth due to cavities, trauma, and some hereditary conditions.

What are the Treatment and Services Applied in Children's Dental Health?

In the pedodontics branch, many applications are performed to protect the oral and dental health of infants, children, and adolescents. In addition to protective and preventive applications, oral and dental care education, correct nutrition methods, tooth extraction in children, space maintainers, anti-cavity applications, fluoride varnish, fissure sealants, and similar applications are performed. In addition, treatments for traumas occurring in teeth, filling applications for primary and permanent teeth, amputation, and endodontic treatments are also performed by pedodontists. Orthodontic treatments to correct teeth that are not correctly positioned on the jawbone are also applied by the pedodontics branch.

What are Primary (Milk) Teeth?

Babies are born without teeth in their mouths. However, there are teeth that have not yet fully formed inside the gums. Approximately six to eight months after birth, primary teeth begin to appear in the baby's mouth. There are a total of twenty primary teeth. First, the lower central incisors emerge, followed by the upper central incisors. Immediately after, the lateral incisors, and then the molars and canines appear. By the time a child reaches three years of age, all primary teeth become visible.

How Many Primary Teeth Are There? What is the Mixed Dentition Period?

There are a total of 20 primary teeth. Primary teeth, which begin to appear between 6 and 8 months of age, are fully erupted by the time the baby is two and a half to three years old. Primary teeth differ structurally from permanent teeth. This means that primary teeth are more vulnerable and prone to wear and decay.

When children reach six years of age, primary teeth gradually begin to be replaced by permanent teeth. This stage continues until the age of 13. This mixed dentition period, during which both primary and permanent teeth are present in the child's mouth, covers the ages of 6-13 and is of great importance. This is because cavities, placement problems, or traumas that may occur in primary teeth during this period negatively affect the health of permanent teeth.

Why Are Primary Teeth Important?

Primary teeth are very important. This is because children can chew food and speak thanks to these teeth. They serve as a guide for permanent teeth. Primary teeth lost earlier than they should be can cause placement problems or crowding in permanent teeth. Crowding may occur in permanent teeth.

What Are the Differences Between Primary Teeth and Permanent Teeth?

Primary teeth are smaller in size and whiter than permanent teeth. In contrast, the roots of primary teeth are more prone to falling out easily. They have a short and thin root structure. Another difference between primary and permanent teeth is the protuberance at the tips of the incisors.

When Does the Mixed Dentition Period End?

The mixed dentition period, during which both primary and permanent teeth are present in the mouth, generally covers the child's age between 6 and 13. The mixed dentition phase ends when all the primary teeth in the child's mouth fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth. When no primary teeth remain in the mouth, permanent dentition begins.

What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay? How to Protect Against It?

To protect against the risk of baby bottle tooth decay, babies should not be allowed to sleep with a bottle in their mouth at night. Sugary liquid foods should not be added to the milk in the bottle, and the baby should always be made to drink water after each feeding. If possible, the baby's teeth should be brushed or wiped with a hygienic, wet cloth.

How Should Oral and Dental Care Be in Children?

There is a common misconception in society that the care of primary teeth, which are not permanent, is unnecessary. However, primary teeth that are lost earlier than they should be, decay, or are not cared for properly, bring significant problems. Placement problems such as impacted or crooked permanent teeth may occur. This is because primary teeth act as space maintainers for permanent teeth. Psychological problems and loss of self-confidence that the child may experience are also important problems. Therefore, due attention should be paid to the care of primary teeth.

After each meal, you should wipe your baby's teeth with a clean cloth. Oral hygiene habits should be instilled before the primary teeth erupt. Small toothbrushes can be used during this period. From the age of three, toothpaste should be used, and cleaning teeth after meals and before sleep should become a habit.

One of the mistakes many families make is dipping pacifiers in sweet foods. This is one of the primary causes of baby bottle tooth decay.

What Do Fissure Sealants Do?

Deep grooves that occur on the chewing surfaces of permanent teeth carry a risk of decay. Fissure sealants help to close these grooves and prevent bacteria from settling at that point. They have an anti-cavity function. After the fissure sealant application, it is recommended that the child visit the dentist for a check-up once a month.

What is Fluoride Application?

Fluoride application, a cavity-preventive treatment for primary teeth, strengthens tooth enamel. Primary teeth are vulnerable to decay. It is possible to strengthen teeth with fluoride application. In children under five years of age, tooth surfaces are strengthened with fluoride varnish. In children aged six and above, fluoride gels are preferred. Fluoride gels can come in different scents and flavors.

What Should Be Considered in Pediatric Dental Treatment?

In protective and therapeutic applications for children, the patient should not feel fear, anxiety, apprehension, or pain. This is one of the most important aspects of pediatric dentistry. Because if the child feels pain, they may mistakenly perceive dental treatment and the dentist as a painful and frightening experience. This can lead to neglecting dental check-ups and facing oral and dental problems in adulthood. Therefore, the most important thing to pay attention to is that the child does not suffer pain and does not experience fear.

What Dental Treatments Are Performed Under General Anesthesia in Children?

Many painful interventions in children, from cavity fillings to root canal treatments, tooth extractions, and various other procedures, can be performed under anesthesia. General anesthesia may be preferred to complete all treatment procedures in a single session and prevent the family and child from being exhausted. It is an attractive solution to ensure children do not feel fear, anxiety, or pain, and do not harm themselves by making sudden movements. This way, the child is not afraid of dental treatment.

Is Anesthesia Applied for Primary Tooth Extractions?

Although the extraction of primary teeth is structurally an easy procedure, it can become difficult if children feel anxiety and fear. To ensure that children do not feel pain and that the procedure can be completed successfully, the dentist may sometimes decide to apply sedation or general anesthesia. This way, dental treatment does not turn into a traumatic experience. Children who do not develop a fear of the dentist do not neglect their dental appointments in later ages and can have healthy teeth in adulthood.

In What Situations Are Sedation and General Anesthesia Applied?

Children who experience tooth decay problems from an early age may constantly feel pain while eating. They may experience severe toothaches that can wake them up at night. In such cases, children's school performance, social life, growth, and development processes are negatively affected. However, if the child is afraid of the pediatric dentist and dental treatment, and refuses treatment, these anesthesia techniques may become necessary. If many dental problems are present simultaneously, sedation or general anesthesia can be applied to complete multiple procedures in the same session.

Are There Any Side Effects of Anesthesia Used in Dental Treatment?

When modern anesthesia techniques currently used are applied by specialist physicians, risk factors are minimized. If the patient does not have any systemic illness and there are no drug allergies, there is no contraindication to applying anesthesia.

The risk is very low in applications performed by specialists with modern anesthesia techniques. In fact, for healthy children who do not have any systemic illness and no drug allergies, small surgical operations such as dental treatment under anesthesia do not pose a danger.

How Are Children's Tooth Extraction Prices Determined?

Children's tooth extraction prices are shaped according to the patient's condition, needs, the nature of the treatment to be applied, the technological equipment of the clinic, and the dentist's expertise and experience. To get current and clear information about children's dental treatment prices, you can contact Specialist Dentist Emin Serhat Arıkan, who serves patients in Adana.