Pedodontics
The protection and treatment of the health of milk teeth and permanent teeth in children aged 0-12.
Cavities that form in baby teeth at an early stage cause severe pain and negatively affect overall health by leading to nutritional deficiencies.
Teeth lost at an early age prevent permanent teeth from properly aligning in the mouth and may lead to situations requiring orthodontic treatment (braces).
It should be remembered that baby teeth will be used until the age of 12 and serve as guides for permanent teeth.
Pediatric dentistry practices
Pediatric dental treatments vary depending on the problem.
Primary treatment methods:
- Placeholders
- Children’s prostheses
- Tooth extraction
- Dental trauma treatments
- Endodontic treatments
- Restorative treatments for milk teeth and permanent teeth
- Preventive measures against tooth decay (fissure sealants, fluoride gel, etc.)
- Preventing oral habits (thumb sucking, nail biting, etc.)
Preventive measures applied to children
The most important applications of pediatric dentistry are preventive and protective measures against tooth decay. Protective treatments for tooth decay protect children’s oral and dental health, preventing serious oral and dental health problems that may arise in later years. The treatments we apply in Pediatric Dentistry are planned to prevent tooth decay and ensure that teeth continue to function healthily.
To prevent dental problems, fluoride and fissure sealant applications are commonly preferred in preventive dental care. Educating children about nutrition habits and oral and dental care is also important in preventing tooth decay.
Composite Filling
- Restoration of milk teeth or permanent teeth affected by decay.
- Colored fillings can be applied to baby teeth to motivate children to visit the dentist.
- The child’s chewing and speaking functions are maintained.
Baby Tooth Root Canal Treatment
- Tooth decay, trauma, or other factors can cause the living tissue of baby teeth to become infected, resulting in severe pain.
- Root canal treatments performed on baby teeth ensure that the tooth functions painlessly until it is time for it to fall out.
- Unlike permanent teeth, the materials used in baby teeth dissolve along with the tooth roots and do not prevent the tooth from loosening and falling out.
Placeholder
- Children’s baby teeth can be lost for various reasons.
- The gaps caused by lost baby teeth are attempted to be closed by the surrounding teeth.
- To preserve the space and prevent certain orthodontic problems, a space maintainer must be made.
Fissure Cover
- The grooves on the chewing surfaces of milk teeth and permanent teeth are called fissures.
- Because these grooves are located on the back teeth, they are difficult to clean and are therefore the most susceptible area of the tooth to decay.
- The process of filling fissures with a gel-like material and fixing them with a special beam.
- It is a type of filling and is defined as a protective treatment.
General Anesthesia (Sedation)
- This method is used for dental treatments in patients who cannot be seated comfortably.
- It is performed in a hospital setting with the collaboration of a dentist and a general anesthesiologist.
- All procedures to be performed on the patient are carried out in a single session.
- Since the patient is put to sleep under general anesthesia, they will not remember the procedure and therefore will not experience trauma.
Fissure sealants and fluoride applications
- Fissure sealant treatment closes the grooves on the surface of permanent teeth that can cause decay, preventing bacteria from forming in these areas. With fissure sealant treatment, tooth decay is sealed with a liquid filling material, ensuring long-term dental health.
- After fissure sealant application, the child should be checked at least every 6 months. In fluoride application, which is used for a similar purpose as fissure sealant, the tooth structure is strengthened.
- Teeth are protected against acid attacks. This significantly prevents tooth decay. Pediatric dentistry procedures should be performed by a pediatric dentist who specializes in this field.
Pediatric zirconium crowns
- Zirconium crown treatment, commonly known as “capping,” is used when there is significant tooth decay. It has also become widely used in cosmetic dental treatments.
- Zirconium is used in pediatric dentistry to prevent problems that may occur in children’s baby teeth. Baby teeth, which are often overlooked, form the basis of a child’s oral and dental health by affecting the health of permanent teeth. Therefore, it is important for parents to take their children’s dental health seriously and have them undergo regular check-ups to prevent future problems.
- Zirconium crowns are specially manufactured for children and applied by dentists who are experts in their field.