Pediatric Dentistry
Primary teeth have their own unique physical structure, while stages of child development have their own unique behavior features. Helping children smoothly transition from primary dentition to a permanent one requires pedodontists to have skilled hands, a wide dentistry background including orthodontics, handpieces and other facilities specialized for pediatric dentistry, behavior management and anaesthesia & sedation technique.
We strive to motivate the patient and their family by demonstrating that primary teeth are not disposable and restore primary dentition because it helps:
Paul Dental Clinic wishes to, together with parents’ effort, manage children’s teeth well, helping them achieve a life-long healthy and pretty smile.
Cavity Treatment
1. Composite Filling
Minimally invasive drill especially made for children is used to minimize the loss of healthy enamel. Pediatric dental care requires precise techniques completed rapidly and calmly.
2. Stainless Steel Crown
Badly decayed or broken-down milk teeth, that cannot be restored with filling, need to receive a straight edge or contoured stainless steel crown.
3. Pulpal Treatment
If the cavity has affected the pulp, the inflamed pulp needs to receive pulpal treatment. Experienced pedodontists will take the developing stage of the primary and permanent teeth into consideration, to work out a treatment plan which can guarantee the normal development of permanent teeth.
Space Maintenance
Early loss of deciduous tooth because of trauma or caries may lead to ectopic eruption of the underneath permanent tooth or dental crowding, for the adjacent teeth can drift or tilt toward the space. It is necessary to maintain or reclaim premature spacing in the arch until eruption of the secondary teeth with placement of fixed or removable appliances.
Interceptive and Corrective Orthodontics
Malocclusion such as crooked teeth or biting problems due to a failure in space maintenance, mouth-affecting habits or congenital factors requires interceptive or corrective orthodontic care. Interceptive procedures are usually performed to lessen the severity of any existing malfunctions or to correct improper growth patterns. For example once the jaw growth stops, it is almost impossible to guide the jaw growth toward the ideal direction, and thereupon the complexity of orthodontic treatment increases, e.g. chances of extraction of permanent premolars to provide ample space for movement of other teeth may rise greatly. While corrective procedures are usually taken to reduce or eliminate existing malocclusion.
1. Correction of Mouth-Affecting Habits
Mouth-affecting habits like thumb sucking and mouth breathing can result in dental crowding and unsatisfactory facial bone function or esthetic. Please refer to our popular science article—What every parent needs to know about mouth breathing.
2. Early Fixed or Removable Orthodontics
Early fixed or removable orthodontics is mainly used in conditions like anterior crossbite, rotation of front tooth, canine displacement, narrow arch and so forth, aiming to correct wrong biting relationship, teeth position, teeth angle and widening the narrow arch.
3. Functional Appliance
In cases with mandibular retrognathia, (usually combined with deep overbite), functional appliance (e.g. Twin blocks) is often used to guide the forward development of mandible in the early stage of orthodontic process.
Treatment for Primary Teeth Injury
Injury to the primary teeth and mouth tissues can result from trauma or abuse to the head and face. The most common complaint is a tooth fracture, others include tooth dislodging, thrusting into the alveolus, or even being forced out of its socket. The patient needs to go to a nearby dental clinic immediately for fixation or extraction in order to protect the permanent tooth underneath.
