What Parents Should Know About Children's Dentistry and Pediatric Dental Care
When it comes to providing effective dental care to patients, it's imperative that dental health professionals know what the needs of the patient are and how these needs can be best addressed. That's especially true when it comes to meeting the dental health needs of children.
The team at our Reston cosmetic dentistry center would like to take a few minutes to go over the basics of family dental care so you know what we can offer.
Why Children's Dentistry Required Special Considerations
Children obviously have different health and dental care needs as they are growing since their bodies are still developing. You cannot give children the same sort of care you'd provide an adult. It's a plain fact. In order to provide the effective treatment that children need, a cosmetic and restorative dentist in Reston needs to understand how to explain procedures in ways that children understand and how to provide positive experiences to children at every visit.
What We Bring to Family Dental Care
When younger patients visit the office, we always make sure to:
- Answer the young patient's questions so they are relaxed and at ease during the visit
- Provide patient education to reinforce positive impressions of dental care
- Maintain a friendly chairside manner so that we can build trust with a patient over time
- Develop a sense of belonging; we're not just here to treat the patient, but to make the patient feel welcome
All of the above contribute to excellent dental experiences at all ages. Let's now look at what children at various ages will often have addressed.
Dental Care Needs for Babies and Toddlers
For babies and toddlers, we do our best to monitor incoming baby teeth and ensure that these young teeth are being properly cared for. Since these young children are generally unable to care for their own teeth, we instruct their parents on some basic general dental care that they can do at home to make sure their children have healthy teeth.
Dental Care Needs for K-6 Children
As children grow older, their baby teeth fall out and permanent teeth grow in. During these years of childhood and early adolescence, we do a lot of dental fillings and other basic treatments to promote overall wellness. This is a great time for us to help instill good hygiene habits in kids so that they understand how to keep their smiles healthy and looking great.
In many cases, undergoing orthodontic treatment at this age is a good idea. Since the patient is still growing, treatments that adjust dental arches and tooth alignment can be performed much easier.
Dental Care Needs for Teenagers
As children get closer and closer to adulthood, their dental health needs begin to resemble those of adults. Dental fillings, inalys, onlays, and Reston dental crowns are used to help address tooth decay, and sometimes we even treat early stages of gum disease.
During this time, we will also keep tabs on incoming wisdom teeth, which can cause severe pain as a result of impaction if they are not growing in straight.
Learn More About Family Dental Care Treatment
For more information about your many different options for effective children's dentistry, be sure to contact our Reston cosmetic and restorative dentistry center today. Our entire team looks forward to meeting you and your child in person and helping you both realize all of your dental goals for years to come.
