Pediatric Dentistry
Children, especially young children, may fear the dentist. Not because of the adult fear of the possible pain or discomfort of dental treatment, but most often because they don’t understand this strange environment. The dental chair with its lights, odd-looking equipment, and strangely dressed people may cause a great deal of anxiety for a young child. Dentistry for children focuses on proper treatment while addressing a child’s emotional needs as well.
At our clinic, we understand the fears that children may have and take great care to work with your child in a caring and friendly manner that is calculated to remove their fears and make future visits anxiety-free. In time, your child will come to find a dental visit is nothing to be afraid of and may even look forward to it.
After all, many of us are parents too, and we’ve been treating children since 1979!
Primary Teeth Care
It used to be that most people and even many dentists saw primary, or baby teeth, as unimportant. If one developed a cavity or infection, it was common practice to simply remove the tooth and wait for the adult tooth to grow in. Over time, we have come to understand that proper primary care is vital to long-term oral health. Today, we take a very different approach to caring for your child’s teeth.
Keeping deciduous teeth in place as long as possible, and maintaining excellent oral health, can prevent many long-term problems with adult teeth, including:
- Misalignment of adult teeth due to missing baby teeth
- Decay in a baby tooth that spreads to the adult tooth which replaces it
- Infections spreading to permanent teeth
- Childhood gum diseases which can have a profound impact on adult oral health
- Extensive long-term orthodontic care
What’s Best for Your Kids
In the old days, many parents didn’t give much thought to their children’s oral health. After all, the baby teeth would eventually fall out and be replaced anyway. If a child had a cavity that hurt, of course they would get treatment, but otherwise Moms and Dads often ignored other less immediate issues.
Now that we’ve come to understand how important proper pediatric dental care is for our kids, we can also tell parents that at-home care and good oral hygiene are vital. The fewer problems that children experience while they still have their deciduous teeth, and the better their oral health overall, the fewer issues they will experience as adults. And of course, it’s always best to develop good habits as early as possible.
How We Treat Your Kids
As adults, we may fear the unknown. This is even more true for children, who are often lost and confused in the adult world around them. At Glades Dental, we take the time to explain each procedure to your child before we do it. Kids are far less likely to be fearful if they understand exactly what is happening. In addition, we understand the importance of not talking down to children. Kids are smart and should be treated with respect for their intelligence and ability to deal with new situations.
Through good communication, a non-threatening kid-friendly environment, proper pain management, and a fun and gentle demeanor, we strive to set your children at ease while providing them with the very best of pediatric dental care.