Specificities of dental treatment for children
- It is important that the child does not experience visits to the dentist as a trauma, but as a positive experience, even as a game, an exciting adventure!
- Ideally, the first appointment should not be when you have a problem, a toothache and need treatment. If they get to know the environment and the dentist through playful discussion and assessment, they will be more courageous and cooperative later on.
- It is the responsibility of parents to take their children for regular dental check-ups from the first milk teeth, as the condition of the milk teeth, the inflammatory processes that start during decay, and possible premature tooth loss can also affect the permanent dentition.
- It is also necessary for parents to be aware of how to care for their child's gums from birth, and later for their teeth. For a long time, up to the early school years, oral care is primarily the responsibility and task of the parent!
- Parents and dental professionals share the responsibility of developing health awareness and teaching good oral care techniques. Our professionals advise mums-to-be during pregnancy on what they can do to keep their child's teeth healthy. If the parent requests it, our specialist dentists or dental hygienists can provide special oral hygiene education for the child.
- We recommend regular dental check-ups for your child every six months!
In a nutshell about milk teeth
The development of milk teeth starts in the foetal period.
Children have 20 milk teeth, which erupt from 6 months to 2-2.5 years of age. Of course, there are individual variations, and the emergence of milk teeth occurs over a wide range of ages, with a spread of up to five months.
During teething, the infant or young child may experience restlessness, fussiness, increased salivation, loss of appetite and mild fever.
The change of milk teeth starts at around 6 years of age and lasts until the age of 11. As with milk teeth, special care must be taken to clean the remaining teeth.
Although their presence is temporary, deciduous teeth have a function just as important as permanent teeth. They have a role:
- in the process of biting and chewing
- the correct formation of speech sounds; the absence of even one tooth can cause speech problems
- securing the space for the remaining teeth; premature loss of deciduous teeth can lead to abnormalities and irregularities of the permanent dentition
- in facial shape, proper jaw growth
- in aesthetics
For healthy teeth - Prevention
The focus in children's dental care is primarily on prevention!
The basic oral hygiene principles for children are:
- regular oral care (including gum and then teeth care) from birth
- establishing the need for oral hygiene through education and example at home
- learning proper brushing techniques
- developing good eating habits (avoid large quantities of sugary tea, sugary drinks, sweets)
- abandoning the denture-deforming mouthpiece, or at least replacing it with a medical one
- regular dental check-ups every six months from the onset of deciduous teeth to detect any changes or abnormalities in time
- regular dental hygiene treatment is an important part of prevention, removing bacterial plaque (biofilm, dental plaque) that sticks to teeth and is resistant to simple brushing, which is a precursor to tartar formation and tooth decay. This is also the case for children, where the new dimension in dental hygiene EMS directed biofilm therapy.
EMS guided biofilm therapy -
for the little ones too!
EMS guided biofilm therapy is the most effective yet gentle professional tooth cleaning procedure available today. It is also ideal for children.
- Gentle on milk teeth and gums; also ideal for mixed dentition.
- It is completely painless thanks to the "No pain" technology.
- Reduces the need for ultrasonic and manual tools.
- Comfortable, noise-free.
- The powder used is extremely fine-grained, gentle and naturally sweet tasting.
- It ensures immaculately clean teeth, thus promoting better absorption of fluoride.
- Preventive treatment also allows early detection and even prevention of caries.
- It is also an important tool for motivating, encouraging and educating children about oral hygiene.
- As it is completely painless, it provides a pleasant, strengthening dental experience. In other words, these treatments can make the difference between a child becoming a regular visitor to the dentist and an adult who cooperates with professionals and takes good care of his or her oral hygiene.
When you're in trouble: dental problems and solutions
The caries
Decay of milk teeth is usually caused by inadequate dental care and poor nutrition.
Many people think that milk teeth don't need to be cared for or filled because they will fall out anyway. They do fall out, but it doesn't matter what state they are in!
If caries is left untreated, it not only has a negative effect on the deciduous tooth - its function and aesthetics - but can also damage the surrounding remaining teeth.
Treatment of deciduous deciduous teeth
The treatment depends on the extent of the caries.
Grinding the milk tooth
For minor caries, the milk tooth can be sanded to create a smooth surface and then brushed with a special fluoride-containing material.
Filling
For larger cavities, a filling is prepared in the same way as for adult treatments.
Root canal treatment, removal of the tooth
In particular, deep caries may require root canal treatment, and in more severe cases tooth extraction.
Groove closure
The groove is the hourglass-shaped depression in the remaining molars, which is an easy hiding place for bacteria and food debris. Grooving is the process of filling them in. There is no tooth drilling and no loss of tooth substance during the treatment. The safe and painless procedure, used in children, effectively protects the remaining molars from plaque build-up and decay.
Loose dentures, bite disorders
Abnormal bites and irregular teeth are often caused by genetics. More often, however, the problem is:
- acquired, such as embryonic harm,
- mouth breathing,
- atypical swallowing,
- premature loss of milk teeth
- premature caries,
- traumatic injury,
- and most often the prolonged pacifier, finger sucking results.
Whatever the cause, bite anomalies and abnormalities of the dentition need to be corrected - and as soon as possible!
Orthodontics in children
Although the orthodontics it's never too late to start, but it's also not too late to delay: the earlier you start, the easier it is for the professional and the sooner the child will get over it. By starting early, we can prevent health and aesthetic problems and psychological harm caused by tangled, irregular dentures, which can become very serious!
The benefits of regular check-ups
Regular dental check-ups for children include orthodontic examinations. Many abnormalities can be detected at a very early age and can be treated very well in a relatively short time with an appliance appropriate to the problem and the age of the child, possibly with the help of a speech therapist.
The aim of orthodontic treatment in children
The most important aim of orthodontic treatment in children is to create optimal conditions for the not yet fully developed dentition, facial and jaw bones and facial muscles, and to correct bite disorders caused by bad habits (prolonged sucking, finger sucking, tongue thrust swallowing, mouth breathing).
Types of appliances for neat dentures
Myofunctional trainer
You don't have to wait for the first permanent teeth to appear, as even very young children can achieve great results with soft-force myofunctional trainers by deploying.
Main features of a myofunctional trainer:
- It is not a classic brace, it does not have a metal part that sits on the roof of the mouth.
- The silicone-based splints are not custom-made from an imprint, but because they are available in several sizes, shapes and hardnesses, you can be sure that your child will get the right device for their age and anatomy to solve their problem.
- For the youngest children, the aim of the treatment is to help them stop bad habits and adjust the balance of their muscles, so the child is given a very soft silicone splint that changes the muscle environment.
- Simply by achieving the correct muscle function, we can achieve significant improvements in the position of the jawbone and the alignment of the teeth. This will lead to an improvement in speech (a speech therapist may be needed) and the restoration of chewing function, which is essential for proper food intake and good digestion.
- Later, the soft splint is replaced by a harder one, which has an effect on the tooth itself.
- The splint must be worn for an hour during the day and all night. The device may fall out during sleep, but eventually it will stay in the child's mouth all night.
- With timely treatment, the problem can be corrected and removable or fixed braces can be avoided by the time the child is a baby.
Removable device
Removable appliances are used at an early age to correct irregularities in the dentition.
The main features of removable braces:
- The removable devices are for children aged 6-13.
- It is mainly used for mixed dentition - i.e. when there are deciduous teeth and permanent teeth in the mouth.
- It is suitable for correcting minor or major irregularities of the dentition and for guiding the development of the jaw bones in the right direction.
- It is usually worn for several years. As they can only be used for certain movements, it may be necessary to wear fixed braces after treatment with removable appliances to achieve perfect results.
- The appliance is custom-made in the dental laboratory on the basis of an impression taken in the dental surgery.
- Its effectiveness is greatly influenced by the child's adherence to the compulsory wearing period set by the doctor. This is primarily the responsibility of the parent!
- Removable braces should be worn not only at night, but also during the day for a total of about 12-16 hours. It must be removed when eating or drinking (except when drinking water).
- Clean daily with a toothbrush and toothpaste, and occasionally soak in a solution of a champagne tablet suitable for cleaning braces for a few hours.
Fixed appliances
For children who have already had a tooth replacement, we use the same metal or aesthetic fixed appliances (Alexander, Damon Q, Damon Clear Miracle) used for adults, or an invisible system of removable splints (Invisalign).
Main features of fixed appliances:
- To find out about the innovative types of equipment available in our practice and the treatment process, please visit our Read our orthodontic treatment description!
Little heroes in the dental chair!
Children's dental care is just as important as that of adults, but they require different treatment, both professionally and personally. Playfulness, patience, calmness, humour - the aim is to relieve anxiety, fear and create a sense of security. The model they learn at home and their first dental experiences will set the tone for a lifetime of oral hygiene, dental treatment and the need to maintain beautiful and healthy gums and teeth!
Prevent the deterioration of your child's teeth, avoid unfounded fears and careless behaviour later on! Come with us for an appointment. for an introductory consultation, for a chat, so that your child can have his or her first dental experience in a relaxed environment, in a family atmosphere, with a specialist who specialises in young patients!
