Pediatric Dentistry in Raleigh, NC: Gentle Care for Growing Smiles

Pediatric dentists have extra years of training and experience treating infants, children, teenagers and those with special needs. They are able to treat teething issues, dental emergencies, and help parents break bad oral habits like thumb-sucking.

They can also offer early orthodontic intervention to correct jaw discrepancies while patients are still growing. These treatments can be more effective than addressing them later in life when the jaws have already finished growing.

Preventive care

Visiting a pediatric dentist regularly can prevent long-term dental complications. They can spot issues like tooth decay and gum disease early, and help parents and children establish good oral hygiene habits that can prevent these problems.

They also educate children and their parents on proper diet, thumb sucking, pacifier use, and other factors that contribute to healthy teeth and overall growth. They also perform regular cleanings and apply fluoride treatments to protect young teeth from cavities.

Besides these routine services, pediatric dentistry Raleigh NC are trained to handle dental emergencies and address issues specific to children such as malocclusion and crooked teeth. They are also experienced in working with medically and physically compromised children. Lastly, they are experts in creating a relaxing and friendly dental atmosphere for kids.

Early detection

During the first visit, the pediatric dentist will get to know your infant. They will also review the family’s health history, monitor tooth and jaw development and address any questions or concerns you may have. Ideally, it’s best to bring another adult along for the appointment to help soothe the baby if they become fussy during their examination.

Pediatric dentists have extensive training in behavior management. They create a calm, welcoming environment that encourages children to relax and enjoy their visits. They can help children overcome dental phobias and develop positive attitudes towards oral care.

Early appointments can also help catch issues like misaligned teeth, so they can be treated before they worsen. This can save both time and money in the long run.

Fluoride treatments

Early visits to a pediatric dentist in Raleigh NC help prevent tooth decay and catch problems before they worsen. They also set a positive attitude towards dental care that can last a lifetime.

Pediatric dentists have extra training in the growth and development of teeth, gums, and jaws. They also have experience treating children with a variety of medical conditions and disorders.

Fluoride treatments protect the surface of your child’s teeth and can prevent up to 80% of cavities in back molars. They are quickly and painlessly applied and monitored during regular checkups. Our Raleigh dental team also offers space maintainers, which are inserted when baby teeth are prematurely lost and prevent the surrounding teeth from shifting and creating alignment issues in adulthood. These are just a few of the ways our Raleigh dental team strives to make every appointment enjoyable and positive.

Space maintainers

When children lose their baby teeth prematurely due to decay, injury or extraction, it can cause their permanent adult teeth to erupt into an empty space. This can lead to overcrowding and misalignment that may require more extensive orthodontic treatment in the future.

Space maintainers are custom-made appliances that keep the gap created by a missing tooth open until the permanent tooth is ready to fill it. They are usually made of metal or acrylic and can be fixed in place or removable.

Our pediatric dentists will recommend a specific type of space maintainer for your child, depending on the location of the missing tooth and their health history. Once they are fitted with the device, we will schedule regular follow-up appointments to monitor its fit and ensure that the permanent tooth is growing in properly.

Specialized training

A pediatric dentistry Raleigh NC has completed an extra two to three years of training after four years of dental school to treat the unique oral needs of infants, children, adolescents and patients with special healthcare requirements. The specialized training includes a focus on child psychology, preventing decay, and managing oral issues such as bruxism and malocclusion.

Pediatric dentists are also experts in implementing preventive measures, such as fluoride treatments and sealants. These quick and painless applications are highly effective in thwarting cavity-causing bacteria on the chewing surfaces of molars. They can also help parents with thumb-sucking, pacifier use, and smoking cessation, as well as advise on the placement of space maintainers when necessary. This helps prevent the premature loss of baby teeth, which can cause malocclusion and lead to bite problems later on.