Pediatric Dentistry (Child Dentistry in Akshaynagar, Bangalore)

What is pit and fissure sealants?

Sealants are a safe and painless way of protecting your children’s teeth from decay. A sealant is a protective resin coating, which is applied to the biting surfaces of the back teeth. The sealant forms a hard shield that keeps food and bacteria from getting into the tiny grooves in the teeth and causing decay.

Are pit and fissure sealants necessary?

Your dentist might advise you to have fissure sealants if you have large grooves or pits in your teeth. However you should discuss with your dentist whether or not they are necessary. Not all teeth with fissures need sealants.

How long does fissure sealant last?

Sealant usually last for many years, but needs to be checked regularly to make sure that the seal is intact. It can wear over time, and sometimes needs to be added to or replaced to be sure that no decay can start underneath it.

Which teeth should be sealed?

Sealants are only applied to the back teeth – the molars and premolars. These are the teeth that have pits and fissures on their biting surfaces. Your dentist will tell you which teeth should be sealed after they have examined them, and checked whether the fissures are deep enough for sealing to help. Some teeth naturally form with deep grooves, which will need to be sealed, others with shallow ones which will not need sealing

Will my child feel it?

No, it is totally pain free, and the teeth do not feel any different afterwards.

How long do they last?

Sealants usually last for many years, but your dentist will want to check them regularly to make sure that the seal is still intact. They can wear over time, and sometimes the dentist needs to add or replace some sealant to be sure that no decay can start underneath them.

How do they work?

The sealant forms a smooth, protective barrier, by covering all the little grooves and dips in the surface of the tooth. Dental decay easily starts in these grooves.

What is fluoride?

Fluoride is a natural mineral that is found in water. The amount of fluoride in the water varies from area to area.

Why do children need fluoride?

Fluoride is an important mineral for all children. Bacteria in the mouth combine with sugars and produce acid that can harm tooth enamel and damage teeth. Fluoride protects teeth from acid and helps reverse early signs of decay. Make sure your children are brushing with toothpaste that has fluoride in it.

When should my child start using fluoride toothpaste?

The AAP and the ADA recommend using a “smear” of toothpaste on children once the first tooth appears and until your child is 3. Once your child has turned 3, a pea-sized amount can be used.

When should i get fluoride treatment done for my child?

Once your child has a tooth, your doctor may recommend that your child receive fluoride varnish treatments in the dentist’s office to help prevent tooth decay. This can be done 2 to 4 times per year. The number of treatments depends on how likely it is that your child may get a cavity.

How is Fluoride Varnish Put on the Teeth?

Fluoride varnish is painted on the top and sides of each tooth with a small brush. It is sticky but hardens once it comes in contact with saliva. Your child may feel the hardened varnish with his tongue but will not be able to lick the varnish off.

It does not hurt when the varnish is applied. However, young children may still cry before or during the procedure. Fortunately, brushing on the varnish takes only a few minutes. Also, applying the varnish may be easier when a child is crying because his mouth will be slightly open.

You may be asked to hold your child in your lap while you are placed knee-to-knee with the person applying the varnish.

How Do I Care for My Child’s Teeth After Fluoride Varnish is Applied?

Your child can eat and drink right after the fluoride varnish is applied. But only give your child soft foods and cold or warm (not hot) foods or liquids.

Do not brush or floss teeth for at least 4 to 6 hours. Your child’s doctor may tell you to wait until the next morning to brush or floss. Remind your child to spit when rinsing, if he knows how to spit.

Why do dentist fill cavities in baby tooth?

Though children are using a set of teeth they will eventually lose, that set of teeth needs to survive until the adult teeth guide them out of the gums, which helps ensure the adult teeth grow in correctly and with enough room. That’s why oral hygiene is important as soon as a baby’s teeth begin to come in, and teaching oral hygiene should begin at a young age. Despite your best efforts to ensure good dental hygiene, sometimes kids end up with cavities. Cavity care for children is very similar to cavity care for adults, because preserving tooth health is the most important aspect.

Why do my child has cavities?

Cavities can develop when sugar-containing foods are allowed to stay in the mouth for a long time. Bacteria that live on the teeth feast on these bits of food and can eat away tooth enamel. Saliva washes away the acid between meals, but if your child is always eating, there may not be time for this acid to get washed away.

How filling is done in children?

Your dentist will drill the tooth decay from your child’s baby teeth as necessary. Depending on how much damage the cavity has caused, the dentist will then fill the tooth or create a crown. Kids should continue using good oral hygiene when caring for fillings or crowns, whether those repairs have been done on baby teeth or on permanent teeth.

How many filling can be done in one sitting?

When dentists fix cavities for kids, sometimes they do all the cavities at once and sometimes they do only one at a time. The reason for this has to do with the kids, not the cavities. Some children are fine sitting in the chair for long periods of time, while others are not. Dentists want the best outcome for the kid, and if that means making multiple appointments to fill cavities, then that is what will happen. Providing quality oral care to a crying child is very difficult for both the kids and the parents.

Which material is used to do filling in children?

As with adult teeth, baby teeth fillings are made out of either composite/ gic . Crown materials, like stainless steel and ceramic, are used for children.

What is pulpectomy?

A pulpectomy is similar to a root canal, and is actually typically a part of the root canal process. After a dentist removes the damaged pulp from the tooth, the area inside the tooth is disinfected and then filled with an inert material.

Why do my kid need a pulpectomy procedure ?

Inside every tooth, in every person, is a material known as pulp. While the enamel and dentin on the outer layers of the teeth are tough and lifeless, the pulp inside is soft, living and very sensitive. When the outer layers of the tooth are damaged, it is possible for the pulp inside to become infected. In some cases, the best option for saving the tooth is a procedure known as a pulpectomy.
The main objective of pulpectomy in the primary dentition is to retain every primary tooth as a fully functional component in the dental arch to allow for proper mastication, phonation, swallowing, preservation of the space required for eruption of permanent teeth and prevention of detrimental psychological effects due to tooth loss.

Why should teeth not extracted and pulpectomy procedure required ?

Pulpectomy is a conservative treatment approach to preventing the premature loss of primary teeth that can result in loss of arch length, insufficient space for erupting permanent teeth, impaction of premolars, and mesial tipping of molar teeth adjacent to the lost primary molar which can affect the growing permanent tooth your child.

What is pulpotomy?

A pulpotomy is the surgical removal of an inflamed pulp chamber in a child’s tooth that has been compromised due to decay, cavities or trauma. In order to prevent or alleviate an abscess or infection, it is necessary to remove the bacteria from the pulp chamber inside the tooth.

What Is The Difference Between A Pulpotomy And Pulpectomy?

Pulpotomies and pulpectomies are very similar. The difference is a pulpotomy procedure involves removing the pulpal tissue only in the crown of the tooth. In a pulpectomy, the tissue is removed in both the crown and the root of the tooth.

How is pulpotomy done ?

The dentist will remove the diseased pulp within the crown of the tooth, and place a special medicated filling that is put into the chamber in an attempt to keep the healthy and unaffected pulp root alive. The filling will help to prevent bacteria growth and infection, and also calm the nerve of the tooth. Finally, a stainless steel or tooth-colored crown is placed on the tooth, which not only strengthens the tooth and minimizes the risk of future fractures, but also protects from food particles and bacteria.

When is extraction of baby teeth recommended?

There are times when it is necessary to remove a tooth. Sometimes a baby tooth has misshapen or long roots that prevent it from falling out as it should, and the tooth must be removed to make way for the permanent tooth to erupt. At other times, a tooth may have so much decay that it puts the surrounding teeth and jaw at risk of decay, so your doctor may recommend removal and replacement.

How is extraction done?

When it is determined that a tooth needs to be removed, your dentist may extract the tooth during a regular checkup or may schedule another visit for this procedure. The root of each tooth is encased within your jawbone in a “tooth socket,” and your tooth is held in that socket by a ligament. In order to extract a tooth, your dentist must expand the socket and separate the tooth from the ligament holding it in place with a extraction forceps.

Is extraction of baby teeth painful?

Your child will receive a local anesthetic, which numbs the area around your tooth so he/ she feel only pressure, not pain, during the procedure.

Any specific Instructions to follow after tooth extraction ?

1. Do not rinse your child’s mouth for 12 hours afterwards. Your child can start brushing his or her teeth again gently the day afterwards.
2. Try to discourage your child from fiddling with the socket – this includes poking it with fingers or anything else, and trying to feel it with his or her tongue or bit his lips and area under anesthesia.
3. Your child will probably need to avoid hard foods for the first day or so, but after that, he or she should eat normal foods.
4. Your child should avoid hot drinks or food for a few days.
5. Your child may need to have pain relief medication for at least three days. Regular pain relief like paracetamol will usually be enough, but remember to follow the instructions on the bottle or packet or as prescriped by your doctor.

What is a Space Maintainer?

It is very often a small stainless steel wire and band joined together which is cemented on one of the teeth adjacent to a gap where a permanent tooth should be erupting.

Why is a Space Maintainer needed?

Even though the primary dentition (commonly known as baby teeth) are temporary, it’s important to realize how essential they are to the eventual eruption of your child’s permanent teeth. Baby teeth play a crucial role in helping kids learn to speak and chew food for nourishment, but they also save space for their adult teeth. This is why, if your child has a badly decayed primary tooth, a stainless steel crown may be the best solution.

How long my child need to wear it?

This all depends on how long it takes for the tooth or teeth to erupt though the gum.

What is a crown?

Crowns are an ideal way to rebuild teeth which have been broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. The crown fits right over the remaining part of the tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape and contour of a natural tooth. Crowns are sometimes also known as ‘caps’.

When is a crown needed?

When a baby tooth is extensively decayed and using other filling materials isn’t likely to be successful, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends restoring the tooth with a stainless steel crown especially if the tooth has received pulpal therapy. After removing the decay, your dentist will fit and cement a prefabricated crown made of stainless steel over the tooth.

What types of pediatric crown available?

Dentists today use five main types of pediatric crowns: stainless steel, composite strip, polycarbonate, resin-veneered, and zirconia ceramic. Each of these crown types has advantages and disadvantages that dictate its suitability for different applications. Some of the most important factors considered by dentists when choosing a crown type are durability, aesthetics, retentiveness, adaptability, placement time, allergenicity, and cost.

What area advantages of stainless steel crown ?

1. Durable and inexpensive
2. Full coverage protection for the tooth
3. Very little sensitivity
4. Less likely to need retreatment
5. More successful than metal fillings in children under four years old
6. Often used as an attachment for a space maintainer

What is a strip crown ?

Anterior strip crowns are the restoration of choice for upper or lower front teeth that have multiple surface or large cavities. It is a clear plastic tooth form that is trimmed and filled with composite resin (tooth colored filling material) to provide full tooth coverage after cavity removal.

Ceramic crowns for children?

Ceramic crowns may contain porcelain layered within their substructure or on their outer surface. They are extremely strong, and typically cost more than many other crowns. They provide exceptional esthetics and durability.