Pediatric Dentistry or Pedodontics refers to a branch of dentistry that specializes in dental care for kids under the age of 16. Pediatric dentists require an extra two to three years of dental training that prepare them in meeting the unique dental needs of preschool kids and adolescent dental care. This also includes those with unusual health care needs.
Differentiating itself from normal dentistry pediatric dentistry gives emphasis to the founding of trust and confidence in kids with their dentists. As a result one of the main components of pediatric training is child psychology. This manifests itself in special office designs different communication style and an stress on teaching preventative dental habits to kids in an attempt to make dental visits pleasant.
For kids pedodontics place special significance in preventing tooth decay. Studies show that poor oral health care in kids lead to reduce school performance and poor social affairs. Therefore pediatric dentists give suggestion on how to make teeth strong the significance of developing healthy eating habits and other ways to avoid cavities from happening.
Furthermore pediatric dentists work towards the preservation of primary teeth (baby teeth) until they are naturally lost. This is due to the significance they serve in permitting children to chew appropriately and therefore keep superior nutrition its role in verbal communication development and the way it aids permanent teeth by saving space for them.
The responsibility of the pediatric dentists changes as children enter adolescence. Recognizing the growing significance of appearance and personality in their clients pediatric dentists work to ensure that adolescents’ dental needs are met. Preventative dental health care is emphasized and when essential information is provided to adolescents about subjects such as wisdom teeth tobacco use sealants and oral piercing.
Pedodontics not only aids in the dental health of kids but serves as an educational tool for parents. It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) that a dental visit should occur between shortly after the presence of the first tooth in a child to that child’s first birthday. This is because early mouth examinations aids in the detection of the early stages of tooth decay and can therefore be immediately treated. Moreover parents are given a program of preventative home care (brushing flossing fluorides) a caries risk assessment the latest facts on finger thumb and pacifier habits advice on preventing injuries to the mouth and teeth of their kids and information on development and growth.