Pediatric dentists offer services for kids of all ages, and they are excellent at working with kids. Kids are their specialty, and a good pediatric dentist will do more than just make sure your child's problems are addressed. In fact, here are four things that a pediatric dentist will look for and monitor.
Oral health and preventative care
The top concern a pediatric dentist has is for the oral health of your child. Pediatric dentists not only look for signs of problems with teeth, such as cavities, but they are also extremely helpful in teaching parents more about preventative care. Preventing tooth problems is always better than treating problems that occur, and you can learn a lot of preventative care by taking your child to a pediatric dental clinic.
Eruption of permanent teeth
Pediatric dentists are also concerned with the eruption of permanent teeth, and they will keep a close eye on this with their patients. There are several key things pediatric dentists look for when it comes to the eruption of permanent teeth. First, they take x-rays to see if a child has all of his or her permanent teeth. It is through these x-rays that pediatric dentists find out when children are missing permanent teeth. Secondly, they will closely examine the permanent teeth near teeth that have fallen out. If a child loses a tooth, the dentist will make sure there is a permanent tooth coming in soon enough to replace it. If not, the dentist may suggest inserting a space retainer in the gap.
Spacing issues
Pediatric dentists also carefully monitor spacing issues with teeth. When children are small, it is quite normal for them to have gaps between their teeth, and this is what dentists like to see. These gaps are necessary to allow room for the permanent teeth to grow in. When a child does not have good spacing, the pediatric dentist will watch the child's teeth grow in and may suggest removing some of them to make room for the others.
Alignment and bite
Pediatric dentists also monitor the alignment and bite a child has. It will be your child's pediatric dentist that recommends braces, if necessary, and it will be the dentist who helps you determine when to start evaluating braces.
If you have a small child that has never visited a dentist before, schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist, such as Dr. Jon Douglas Lesan, DDS, RpH, PA. This is the best way to help your child develop good oral habits and a healthy mouth.
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