Pediatric Dentistry

What is Pedodontics (Pediatric Dentistry)?

This is the section where the treatment of our patients between 0-14 years of age in primary teeth and mixed dentition is done. Pedodontist, who performs treatments and preventive dentistry practices related to children’s teeth; is a specialist dentist with specific training in child psychology, growth and development. Pediatric dentists play a role in solving the problems that occur in the teeth and mouth in the process from infancy to adulthood, in other words, until the period when all permanent teeth erupt.

The mouth is the starting part of the digestive system. All the food taken into the mouth is swallowed by grinding with the teeth, and the food prepared for digestion goes on a journey to the stomach. Oral and dental health is very important as the mouth and teeth help digestion. Dental caries is the common cause of odor and many diseases in the mouth. The person who cares about oral and dental care will have self-confidence while smiling and talking and will present a pleasant appearance to the other person. In order for each individual to have a healthy tooth and mouth structure, the first dental and oral examination should be done regularly from the age of 1 year.

Baby bottle caries is a caries called early childhood caries. It is given this name because it occurs in the age range when children use a bottle. Consumption of breast milk can cause cavities in this period because breast milk also contains carbohydrates. At the same time, when children switch to solid food after breast milk, they should brush their teeth at least twice a day, if possible, after each meal.

Milk teeth are important. The ability of the jaw bones to reach adult sizes in a healthy way depends on the health of the milk teeth. As a milk tooth loses its substance due to caries, the area covered by the teeth on the jawbone decreases accordingly. Thus, a loss of volume occurs in the jaw and may cause the development of crooked teeth that will come later. Therefore, milk teeth should be treated on time. At the same time, caries is ultimately an infectious disease. If there is an infection in the body, if it needs to be treated, milk teeth should also be treated. Untreated infections can cause diseases not only in the mouth but also in the whole body. In addition, infection in milk teeth; If it reaches the permanent tooth germs that will come from below, it can cause disorders in the permanent teeth as well. Untreated cavities may cause pain during eating and drinking. Since the psychological development of children continues, some children with aching teeth may stop eating and drinking. To prevent this, cavities must be treated.

Milk teeth can decay more quickly because milk teeth have some structural and content differences compared to permanent teeth. Since milk teeth contain less inorganic part, that is, minerals, they are more prone to decay. Milk teeth are more resistant to abrasion and breakage. Therefore, when a tooth fracture occurs, this fracture can lead to cavities. The protective enamel layer is thinner in milk teeth. The nerve bed is wider, so caries can progress faster than permanent teeth.

What Is Filling Made For?

Tooth filling is done to clean the decayed teeth and replace the material loss. Because the bacteria that cause caries can multiply in decayed teeth, go down to the pulp or jump to neighboring teeth. For this reason, the dead tooth points that are decayed should be cleaned from the healthy points of the tooth. Since milk teeth protect the permanent teeth; It is very important to prevent premature milk tooth loss. Early loss of milk teeth can cause crowding and various disorders in the teeth. Tooth filling is done briefly as follows, teeth and gums that need filling are numbed with local anesthesia. The cavity is opened to clean the teeth from caries and dead spots, and all diseased and rotten spots are destroyed. The points up to the nerve endings are also checked and cleaned.

Root canal treatment is a treatment method applied to the tooth canal to save teeth whose pulp has been damaged due to caries, inflammation or trauma. With this treatment, microorganisms that cause decay or inflammation and infected dental pulp are cleaned with special tools and the tooth is made functional again. With a successful root canal treatment, the infected tooth is saved and used for many years. In root canal treatment, the inflamed vein and nerve tissue in the dental pulp are removed and a filling material is placed in their place. With this procedure, the channel through which the vessels and nerves in the root of the tooth pass is closed. The root canal treated tooth is no longer sensitive to pain.

What is Amputation?

It is the removal of infected tissues and bacteria in the presence of advanced caries or fractures in primary teeth, and the placement of healing and protective agents for the remaining healthy tissues. It can be described as the previous stage of root canal treatment. After the procedure, the related tooth is restored with fillings or veneers.

Do Fissure Sealants Worn Over Time?

Fissure sealants may wear down over time, but their wear is not a cause for concern. The pits we call fissures are microscopic small grooves. Fissure sealants are applied to these grooves, allowing the old function of the tooth to continue. In other words, there is no need to renew the fissure sealants.

Protective applications are divided into various classes. For example, fissure sealant is one of the protective applications.

• Fissure sealant applications have a certain age range.
• Fissure sealant can be applied within the first 4 years after permanent teeth erupt.
• Fluorine application is also a protective application. There is no age limit for fluorine application. Fluoride application can be applied to both children and adults.

How to Choose a Toothbrush for Children?

Toothbrushes with a silicone handle and brush part should be preferred for children under the age of 4 because these brushes will not irritate the teeth and gums. Then, thin bristle brushes can be used. During tooth brushing until the age of 8-9, parents should be with the child and control the child’s brushing. Choose from soft-bristled brushes for kids to medium-thickness brushes.

These caries affect both primary teeth and future permanent teeth because caries in primary teeth affect the health of tooth roots by creating infections in areas where blood vessels and nerves are dense.

Infections in tooth roots are called abscesses and these abscesses in primary teeth can result in tooth loss very quickly compared to permanent teeth. Tooth loss also affects the development of the jawbone and causes problems in permanent teeth.

What Should Be Considered After The Placeholder Is Sticked Into The Mouth?

After the placeholder is placed in the mouth, nothing should be eaten or drunk for 20 to 30 minutes. Even water should not be consumed, because a time is needed for the tooth and placeholder to adhere.

Afterwards, it is necessary to pay attention to brushing. Especially the placeholder part should be brushed well. If it is not brushed well, food residues and microorganisms accumulate between the 1-1.5 mm gap between the placeholder and the gingiva. This can cause tooth and gum infections.

Placeholders are the methods we apply in the early loss of the primary tooth. If a primary tooth has to be extracted, placeholders are placed in the space here until the permanent tooth comes in. It is necessary to preserve the space here, because when the time comes, the permanent teeth grow by using the space provided by the placeholder. If the placeholder is not used, crowding or impaction may occur in the permanent teeth.

Is Placeholder an Expensive Cure?

If placeholder treatment is not applied, this can cause many problems after permanent teeth erupt. These disorders are also solved with orthodontic treatments, which are much more costly than placeholders and can take years. Because the placeholder prevents such complications, it can be counted as an extremely affordable procedure.

It is possible to prevent the formation of caries. However, sometimes it may not be very easy because bruises are based on multifactorial causes. The 2 most important factors are: tooth brushing and lack of oral hygiene and eating habits. Caries formation becomes easier when it is fed with a lot of carbohydrate-based food (sweet, chocolate, acidic beverage, etc.). Apart from this, genetic factors, structure of teeth, stress etc. Other causes can also cause tooth decay. It is possible to prevent the formation of caries. Having the habit of brushing your teeth regularly will prevent the formation of caries to a large extent.