Paediatric Dental care

PAEDIATRIC DENTAL CARE

• The First Visit:
  Our emphasis at the first dental visit is on helping you as a parent to understand your childs oral health and how to best care for your childs dental needs. This involves a consultation with the dentist, followed by a full dental examination. For older children, it may be necessary to take dental x-rays at the first visit. This visit will give you the chance to discuss any questions or concerns which you may have with regards to any aspect of your childs dental health. For this reason, we recommend that for the initial visit your child is accompanied by an adult who is very familiar with the childs dental habits and medical history.
  With our younger and nervous patients, it is not uncommon to hear them protest during the first oral examination and toothbrush demonstration. Equally, parents are frequently surprised at how often these patients are very passive and quiet and appear to enjoy the attention and novelty of the visit.
• Routine check-ups:
  There is evidence that the rate of progression of dental caries can be more rapid in children and adolescents, and it seems to be faster in primary than in permanent teeth [NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence].
  We recommend a tailored recall schedule for every child to maintain good oral health and periodically assess the development of the dentition.
  A reminder message will be sent to you via email/text approximately prior to when the childs check-up is due.
• Scheduling appointments:
  We understand that after-school appointments are often popular however, in our experience, younger children do best for fillings and other treatment visits earlier in the day and such care should be preferably scheduled during the morning hours. Checkups and cleanings may be scheduled anytime during the day.
• Our treatments for childrens teeth include:
  •   Oral health examinations, including risk assessment for caries and dental trauma
  •   Preventive dental care including cleaning and fluoride treatments, as well as nutritional and dietary advice
  •   Habit counselling (for example, pacifier use and thumb sucking)
  •   Repair of tooth cavities or defects
  •   Management of dental injuries in both primary and permanent dentition (for example, fractured, displaced, or knocked-out teeth)
  •   Care for dental injuries (for example, fractured, displaced, or knocked-out teeth)
  •   Assessment and management of malocclusions (incorrect bite), which may include timely referral to a specialist orthodontist
  •   Management of gum diseases and conditions, including ulcers and paediatric periodontal disease