“Pedodontics”, which can be summarized as pediatric dentistry, is the branch of dentistry that deals with anomalies and disorders in children’s mouths, teeth, gums and surrounding tissues from the time they are born until the permanent teeth are completed.
Children; It is very important for them to meet the dentist for control purposes before they experience any problems with their teeth. In this meeting session; It is generally aimed to create a bond of trust between the child and the dentist by introducing dental instruments through games and fun activities. After a bond of trust is established, the chance of treatment increases by establishing a better doctor-patient communication in case of problems that may arise in the future, since the child has not had a negative experience before. In general, not performing dental treatment at the first appointment is a more preferred approach.
What is the Purpose of Pedodontics?
The purpose of pedodontics; It can be summarized as primarily identifying the risks in children’s mouths before any problems occur, taking precautions (e.g. fluoridation treatment, etc.), as well as treating the problems that have arisen, finding the source of these problems and preventing them from occurring again.
Some of the applications performed in pedodontics are as follows:
- Oral and dental health check
- Milk tooth extraction
- Treatment of dental disorders resulting from trauma
- Conservative treatments (filling, amputation, root canal treatment, etc.) in milk teeth and early permanent teeth
- Child prostheses (movable, fixed)
- Regulating eating habits
The Importance of Milk Teeth
Unfortunately, a significant part of our country; Milk teeth are not given enough importance because they are teeth that change when the time comes. However, due to early loss of milk teeth, more serious problems may occur in the future. Shifts in neighboring teeth due to early loss of milk teeth, impacted teeth due to the narrowing of the space for the permanent tooth coming from below, teeth that cannot fully erupt and get stuck in front of or inside other teeth, etc. Different problems may occur, such as: For this reason, the importance and functions of primary teeth should be known very well.
The first duty of milk teeth is to ensure proper nutrition of the child. In addition, the proper development of speech depends on the presence of milk teeth.
Milk teeth protect the space they occupy for the permanent tooth that will replace them and guide the permanent tooth while it erupts.
In pedodontics, after permanent teeth erupt, protective procedures are applied to preserve these teeth firmly. As examples of these transactions; Fluoride applications, fissure sealants and space maintainers can be shown.
Fluorine applications:Fluorine is an element that plays a preventive role in tooth decay and strengthens the structure of teeth. Since the enamel of the first teeth has not fully developed, these teeth are generally more vulnerable to decay and prone to caries formation. The fluoride element helps prevent tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel and increasing the tooth’s resistance to acid factors. Although there are different application methods of fluoride application, the most appropriate method for each case is determined by the physician.
Fissure Sealant Application: Fissure; It is the name given to the developmental cleft-shaped formations on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. The starting point of caries is usually fissures. To prevent this, teeth are closed with fissure sealants and precautions are taken before tooth decay begins. Fissure sealant application is a proven preventive method against the formation of tooth decay.
Space Maintainers: Milk teeth are very important teeth in terms of guiding the permanent teeth that will emerge later. In addition to being so important, sometimes, due to any reason, milk teeth may decay or be lost due to early trauma, and other teeth around them may shift towards this gap. As a result, crookedness occurs in the tooth structure. In order to prevent this crowding and loss of space, a process called space maintainer application is performed on the empty areas of the teeth until the permanent teeth emerge. Thus, empty areas are protected.
What are the Possibility and Causes of Caries in Children?
The probability of tooth decay in children is between 80-90%. The most important causes of tooth decay are wrong eating habits and lack of attention to oral hygiene. It usually occurs when carbohydrate foods (sugar, chocolate, honey, etc.) remain on the tooth surface for a long time. The bacteria in the mouth feed on these food residues and acid is produced with the help of these microorganisms. This acidic environment causes destruction of the hard tissues of the tooth and causes dental caries.
What Precautions Should You Take to Reduce Tooth Decay in Children? should you?
- Ensuring that children brush their teeth in the morning and before going to bed.
- Limiting bottle and pacifier use
- Preventing the transmission of bacteria from mother to baby (avoiding contact with saliva by placing bottles and pacifiers in the mother’s own mouth)
- The pediatrician should be taken to the doctor at an early age and fissure sealants should be applied to teeth that are considered to be at risk
- Following the dentist’s recommendations regarding topical (superficial) fluoride applications.
- Preventing frequent consumption of carbohydrate foods (sugar, chocolate, honey, etc.).
My Child Has Gaps in His Upper Teeth, Does This Mean There Will Be Crowding in His Permanent Teeth in the Future?
Milk teeth are structurally spaced apart. Due to the difference in size between permanent teeth and primary teeth, these spaces help provide adequate space for permanent teeth during eruption. This does not mean that there will be orthodontic problems.
In what cases should a tooth be extracted in children?
When there is an infection and material loss that is too large to be treated with filling or root canal treatment, extraction of the primary tooth may be necessary. If the infections are deep enough to damage the permanent tooth germ under the primary tooth, extraction of the primary tooth may be recommended.
Can Root Canal Treatment Be Performed in Children? Should Root Canal Treatment Be Performed on Primary Teeth?
Milk teeth are guides for permanent teeth. In order to avoid orthodontic problems, the milk tooth must be kept in the mouth as long as it does not cause any damage to the permanent tooth coming from underneath. If infection has occurred or the tooth has been damaged due to trauma, primary teeth should be kept in the mouth with root canal treatment. Contrary to popular belief, milk teeth are rooted teeth, just like permanent teeth. Root canal treatment in children is performed in a much shorter time and is simpler than expected.
