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Pediatric Dentists are dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy
through the teen years. They have the experience and qualifications to care for
a child’s teeth, gums, and mouth throughout the various stages of childhood.
Children begin to get their baby teeth during the first 6 months of life.
By age 6 or 7 years, they start to lose their first set of teeth, which eventually
are replaced by secondary, permanent teeth. Without proper dental care,
children face possible oral decay and disease that can cause a lifetime of
pain and complications. Today, early childhood dental caries (an infectious
disease) is 5 times more common in children than asthma and 7 times
more common than hay fever.
Pediatric dentists have completed at least four years of dental school and two additional years of residency training in dentistry for infants, children, teens, and children with special needs
Pediatric dentists provide comprehensive oral health care that includes the
following:
- Preventive dental care including cleaning and fluoride treatments,
as well as nutrition and diet recommendations
- Infant oral health exams, which include risk assessment for caries in
mother and child
- Habit counseling (for example, pacifier use and thumb sucking)
- Early assessment and treatment for straightening teeth and correcting
an improper bite (orthodontics)
- Repair of tooth cavities or defects
- Diagnosis of oral conditions associated with diseases such as diabetes,
congenital heart defect, asthma, hay fever, and attentiondeficit/
hyperactivity disorder
- Management of gum diseases and conditions including ulcers,
short frenulae, mucoceles, and pediatric periodontal disease
- Care for dental injuries (for example, fractured, displaced, or
knocked-out teeth)
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