Understanding Paediatric Dentistry
Posted on: 23 January 2020
Paediatric dentistry is a specialisation within the wider field of dental work. To put it simply, paediatric dentistry is children's dentistry. Children have special requirements in all areas of healthcare, so some dentists will undertake further studies in order to be able to provide the sort of services children's dentistry requires. Bear in mind that paediatric dentistry does not mean simply dealing with smaller mouths and teeth. Nor does it mean that general dentists do not conduct basic procedures and check-ups with minors. There is much more to it than that. Read on to discover more about the typical things that paediatric dentists will do every day.
Who Is Covered By Paediatric Dentistry?
Firstly, paediatric dentistry means dealing with children from the age of birth right through until the point where they have all of their adult teeth. As such, children's dentistry covers people with both milk teeth and adult teeth, especially as teenagers transition from one set to another. Importantly, a children's dentist will also need to be able to treat children with special needs. Such youngsters can feel especially anxious in the dentist's chair, and it is one of the key aspects of the job that a paediatric dentist should be able to put nervous children at ease during an appointment.
Oral Development and Paediatric Dentistry
Helping children with oral development problems is a big part of paediatric dentistry. This could mean helping children who have malformed milk teeth or even problems with their palate, such as a cleft lip. In some cases, children may not be developing their adult teeth in the usual way, another aspect of paediatric dental care which may mean helping to correct the position of teeth in a mouth to form a better occlusion. As such, paediatric dental care requires a multidisciplinary approach that can cover many aspects of children's development.
The Educational Aspects of Children's Dental Care
Another important part of children's dentistry is the ability to educate. Although oral healthcare education is a part of general dentistry, it is considered to be even more important when dealing with younger people. Most paediatric dentists will have exceptional levels of interpersonal communication skills, which means they can convey their messages not only to the child they are treating but also to his or her guardian effectively. This may be something as simple as explaining how to brush teeth properly or as complex as describing how a surgical procedure will occur.
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