La oral health of children and young people depends on oral hygiene (brushing and flossing teeth properly, after every meal) but also on the check-ups at the dentist which-as is the case in adults-must be periodic.
When to take children to the dentist for the first time?
The first visit usually takes place around 3 years of age: In this way it is possible to check that the eruption of the baby teeth has occurred properly.
In addition, the pedodontist Will also check for caries, a very frequent problem even among very young children due to an increasingly high-sugar diet.
Le visits to the pediatric dentist are also necessary to assess the presence of any malocclusions (i.e., an abnormal alignment between the lower and upper arch teeth) that can be modified through orthodontic treatments performed at the appropriate time of growth.
In the case of problems (tooth pain, trauma as a result of falls, difficulty with phonation and speech, etc.) it is necessary to take the child to the dentist even if he or she is under 3 years old.
What does the pedodontist do?
The pedodontist, or pediatric dentist, is a specialized dentist to know how to caring for children's mouths, teeth and gums at all stages of growth, all the way to adolescence.
Specifically, it deals with:
- Visually examine the oral cavity of children to check for cavities, inflammation of the gums or other problems
- recommend Fluoride supplements for proper tooth mineralization milk and give advice on the dietary habits to be followed
- give any tips about breastfeeding, bottle/ pacifier use, finger sucking, risk of caries
- make the professional dental cleaning (also of milk teeth) in the case of tartar and subsequent inflammation of the gums
- plug any caries
- consider malocclusions and need for treatment of orthodontics
- repair tooth injuries caused by trauma
- take action to edit frenulum of tongue or lips
- practice tooth extractions
What kind of orthodontic treatments are available for children and adolescents?
Depending on the malocclusion that needs to be resolved, the age of the child and the specific needs of the case there are various orthodontic treatments that can be deployed:
Mobile device
This type of device usually is used on children with mixed dentition (they have both permanent and milk teeth): serves to correct misalignment of teeth and the growth of the maxillary bones.
It is defined as "mobile" precisely because Can be removed for eating and brushing teeth: however, in order to achieve the desired results, it is you must wear it for a minimum of hours each day (usually 18 hours).
Mobile braces alone are often not enough to completely correct tooth or bone problems, and once the child is old enough, It will probably be necessary to continue treatment with fixed orthodontics: however, the mobile device makes it possible to shorten the time to achieve the final result.
Fixed luminaire
The stationary device is consisting of a series of plates (brackets) which are made to adhere perfectly to the surface of the teeth: through them is then passed a orthodontic arch (consisting mainly of stainless steel) whose task is to apply pressure to the tooth root to change its position.
The orthodontic arch is changed periodically according to the treatment and the desired results: initially the wire is thinner (to exert moderate pressure), and as the teeth begin to align, it is replaced by a larger-diameter arc, allowing for higher pressure.
Through the use of the aesthetic brackets (made of new materials that provide an excellent aesthetic result because the plates are the same color as the teeth) fixed braces are perceived with more difficulty.
Invisible orthodontics
Children and adolescents can also undergo a orthodontic treatment with Invisalign transparent splints®, or removable masks tailored to the patient and replaced every 2 weeks or so until the desired effect is achieved.
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