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Common Dental Procedures Children Get

By March 14, 2022December 1st, 2022No Comments
Dental Procedures Children

Dental procedures are minor surgical procedures performed by a dentist that can have profound health and lifelong benefits. Often they are performed without any anesthesia or sedation, and most don’t require stitches. They are typically performed on children in a dental office with the assistance of a dentist, assistant, and possibly a parent. This article will provide information on the dental procedures that children often receive and explain how they work. These dental procedures also reduce your child’s health risk from dental caries, cavities, gingivitis, tooth decay, and gum disease.

These dental procedures include:

Teeth Cleaning

Teeth cleaning is a necessary dental procedure that helps prevent cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, and oral diseases. Cleaning removes plaque and tartar buildup on your child’s teeth by scaling and polishing the teeth. Before cleaning, many dental offices offer a dental exam to determine if your child has any dental problems. These include holes in the teeth or cavities. A professional dental cleaning lasts about 30 minutes. It depends on how old your child is and how many teeth the dentist will be cleaning.

Dentures

Dentures are made of plastic, metal, or other materials. They can replace missing teeth, and they are often used to replace multiple teeth. Dentures can be either fixed or removable. A fixed denture is permanently attached to your child’s teeth with screws or cement that holds the denture in place. A removable denture fits around your child’s teeth and is held in place with a rubber cap or screw. One can clean a removable denture more quickly than a fixed one. It also can be replaced more frequently.

Invisalign

Invisalign is a clear plastic aligner that gently guides your child’s teeth to maintain their shape and prevent future dental problems. The clear aligners are not considered traditional dentures because they are easy to take off and put on. They are made of plastic and don’t require permanent attachments to the teeth. Most Invisalign treatment plans involve wearing the aligners for two weeks and then switching to a new set of aligners. It happens several times until your child’s teeth are straight. There are some cases where Invisalign is used for both adults and children, but most dentists recommend it only for children ages 10 to 14.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are permanent fixtures that securely replace missing teeth or anchor dentures to your child’s jawbone. They are made of titanium and are inserted into your child’s jaw with a dental drill. Dental implants come with an artificial tooth attached to them, which is then bonded to your child’s gums. Implants can be permanent fixtures for replacing teeth, and they keep your child from having additional procedures in the future.

Dental Crowns

A dental crown covers the top of your child’s tooth. It is placed over the tooth to protect it if there is a breakage or injury. The crown also helps strengthen weak teeth, stabilize chipped teeth, and prevent teeth from shifting position in the mouth. A dental crown is made of porcelain or resin material in most cases. It fits over your child’s natural tooth like a cap and can be permanently cemented in place. This procedure requires anesthesia or sedation.

Tooth Removal

Tooth removal is a standard dental procedure that can reduce your child’s risk of periodontal disease and cavities. The child’s tooth will often be extracted because it is severely decayed, broken, or poorly shaped. The teeth are extracted from the jawbone with a dental drill and forceps. It happens without medication or anesthesia. The extracted tooth is then replaced with tooth implants made of titanium.

Oral Surgery

There are times when your child may have to have an oral surgery procedure before an implant procedure. It is a common practice and usually only requires a local anesthetic and a tiny incision in the mouth. If your child has a missing permanent tooth, an oral surgeon can create a space for the implant by moving the surrounding teeth. It is known as an expansion procedure. Other reasons that oral surgeons may be involved in your child’s dental treatment would be to repair or reconstruct injured or damaged teeth.

Teeth Removal

If you are worried that your child may have a tooth that requires removal, you should investigate this with their dentist or pediatric dentist. They will perform tests to determine if the tooth is a candidate for removal. If the tooth can be removed, it would have to be extracted with a dental drill and forceps. Your dentist will remove the tooth and then clean out any infection or infection in the area of extraction. It is known as debridement, and it helps prevent future infections from occurring.

Dental Exams

A dental exam is essential for your child’s overall health. Dental exams examine your child’s teeth, gums, jawbone, and bite. They are performed with the assistance of a dentist, and you can sit in on the exam if you want to. The dentist will look for tooth decay, cavities, and other oral diseases. You can also have your child’s teeth tested for any problems with their bite. These tests include a special x-ray called an orthodontic film or digital panoramic x-ray DPX to determine if there are any problems with your child’s bite. If there are jaw misalignments, your dentist will prescribe orthodontic treatment to correct them. A biopsy of your child’s gums is sometimes required to rule out the possibility of gum disease. In some cases, the dentist may prescribe antibiotic medications quickly to reduce the risk of oral diseases.

Amalgam Fillings

Amalgam fillings are metal fillings mixed with mercury and other metals, such as silver and tin. Amalgam fillings are considered more durable than composite white fillings, but they are also more expensive. Amalgam fillings are also less color-stable than composite fillings. Composite fillings are the most commonly used filling due to their strength and durability. Amalgam fillings can be used on your child’s baby and permanent teeth. They can be placed on the front of your child’s teeth, or they can be placed in between the gum and tooth. Amalgam fillings can be used on top of each other to fill larger cavities.

Composite Fillings

Composite fillings are the white filling material that is commonly used today. They are made of plastic and glass and can be placed between your child’s teeth. They enhance the appearance of your child’s teeth when they smile or laugh, in addition to giving them a long-lasting repair. Composite fillings are less expensive than other fillings, and they do not use mercury, a known poison. They are slowly disappearing due to the availability of improved materials. Composite will be used on new teeth and, in some cases, where there is damage to your child’s teeth. They can be placed on the front or the back of your child’s teeth.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is a type of infection of the mouth due to bacteria that live in pockets between the teeth and under the gums. This bacteria can lead to dental cavities. In addition to being harmful, gum disease often causes other health problems such as swollen legs, stiff joints, and breathing difficulties. There are many reasons your child’s gums become inflamed or irritated. It includes poor oral hygiene, poor eating habits, medications that dry out the mouth and inherited genetic disease. If your child has any health concerns and is not receiving proper treatment, it is essential to bring them in to see their dentist. A root canal can help remove the infected portion of a tooth and prevent further problems with your child’s teeth, gums, and overall health.

Endodontics

Endodontics deals with the inflammation of the tooth’s tissues. The tissues are infected by bacteria present in dark pockets beneath the gums. Endodontists take care of this problem by removing infected tissue and placing a partial or full-thickness restoration on the root surfaces. If there is a large cavity, an endodontist can surgically place a temporary bridging material to support those roots until they heal. Endodontists can also use gutta-percha to seal the tooth and block the infection.

Conclusion

Dental care for your child and their teeth is essential for their overall health, as well as their self-confidence. There are many dental procedures to care for your child’s teeth and gums and combat dental problems. An examination by a pediatric dentist can help prevent dental problems from occurring because they will be able to diagnose them before they become severe. Placing dental sealants on your children’s permanent teeth can increase their chances of avoiding cavities in their adult years, which could lead to tooth loss and gum disease.

Imagine Dental

The Imagine Dental team of professionals have decades of combined experience between them, they understand that people go to a dentist because they need to, not necessarily because they want to. With that in mind, our team of specialists try to make sure every procedure is as pain free and as quick as possible.

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