Pediatric dentistry is also known as Pedodontics or Paedodontics is the branch of dentistry dealing with the dental health of children from birth until adolescence as well as serve as educational resources of parents.
OBJECTIVES OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
When should your child first visit the Dentist?
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that child should go to the dentist within 6 months of the eruption of the first milk tooth.
Pediatric Dental Procedures
It includes pits and fissure sealants, these materials are introduced into the pit and fissure caries of susceptible teeth. This forms a protective layer over the teeth and cuts off the nutrient source of bacteria, further loss of tooth structure and progression of caries is inhibited and results in the good prognosis of the teeth, maintains the function of the teeth as well as helpful in maintaining the aesthetics of the child.
When in doubt, seal rather than when in doubt fill. Pit & fissure sealants provide with 100% caries control as long as they are retained on to the tooth surface.
Some orthodontic conditions are easy to correct if diagnose and treated at an early age.
Pediatric orthodontics corrects the existing issues in occlusion, treatment of jaw discrepancies and future growth and development of the teeth and jaws.
Various restorative materials are used in pediatric dentistry some are as follows:
Restorative dentistry helps in rehabilitation of the dentition to the functional & aesthetics requirements of the individual.
Some of the pediatric endodontic procedures are as follows:
Indirect pulp capping
In this procedure, a small amount of carious dentin retained in the deep cavity to avoid pulpal exposure and suitable medicament is placed that seals of the carious dentin and promotes recovery
Direct pulp capping
Placement of suitable medicament on exposed pulp as a result of trauma or while excavating caries
Pulpotomy
Complete removal of the coronal portion of the dental pulp & placement of medicament to promote healing & preserves the vitality of the tooth
Pulpectomy
Complete removal of the necrotic pulp and filling with an inert resorbable material