Pedodontics plays a crucial role in preserving children's dental health and preventing potential painful dental problems. Milk teeth begin to emerge around the sixth month after birth. All milk teeth are visible in the mouth by approximately 2.5 years of age. Permanent teeth begin to erupt around 6 years of age. Between the ages of 6 and 13, a mixed dentition period occurs. During this transitional phase, maintaining oral hygiene becomes more challenging, and children typically visit the clinic due to pain.
At our clinic, pediatric dental treatments are provided, including:
- Fissure sealants
- Fluoride treatments
- Fillings
- Amputation (half root canal treatment)
- Milk tooth root canal treatments
- Space maintainer construction
Fissure Sealant Application
A fissure sealant is a procedure where the grooves in molar teeth are covered with filling material to prevent tooth decay. The filling material used quickly adheres to the grooves in the teeth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth. This process helps prevent tooth decay.
Fissure sealant application is a simple and painless procedure.
Applying fissure sealants immediately after the eruption of permanent teeth helps protect children from cavities from an early age.
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride strengthens the enamel structure of teeth, making them more resistant to decay. Fluoride toothpaste has been shown to play an effective role in preventing tooth decay. Regular fluoride treatments combined with good oral hygiene can significantly reduce cavities, especially in children with a high or moderate risk of cavities.
Compomer Filling
Compomer fillings are commonly used materials in pediatric dentistry. These fillings are suitable for milk teeth only. Compomer fillings have physical properties similar to those of milk teeth and come in various colors, including white.
Their colorful nature can attract children's attention and improve compliance with treatment.
Compomer fillings release fluoride, reducing the formation of cavities in teeth.
Amputation
Amputation is a common treatment method for milk teeth. It is applied to patients where the decayed tissue has reached the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth. The decayed portion, along with the bacteria causing the decay, is removed.
This procedure aims to remove the infected or damaged part of the tooth while allowing the remaining tooth to stay alive and function properly in the mouth, thus continuing its role.
Amputation treatment typically takes 30-60 minutes, though the duration may vary depending on the condition of the tooth and the child's cooperation.
The procedure is pain-free due to local anesthesia. There may be mild sensitivity after the procedure, but this usually subsides within a few days.
Milk Tooth Root Canal Treatment
Milk teeth have thinner enamel than permanent teeth, so in case of decay or damage, the nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth (pulp) are affected more quickly and may require treatment.
Milk tooth root canal treatment involves the removal of the affected pulp tissue and sterilization of the tooth. The procedure starts with opening the tooth after local anesthesia is applied. The pulp tissue is removed with special tools, and the inside of the tooth is sterilized.
The sterilized space is then filled with a filling material. This process relieves pain by cleaning the infected area of the tooth and prevents the loss of decayed or damaged teeth.
Milk tooth root canal treatment usually takes one or two sessions. However, additional sessions may be needed depending on the tooth's condition and treatment requirements.
This treatment is generally painless and is typically performed to preserve children's teeth.
Root canal treatment on milk teeth does not affect the natural shedding process of the tooth, as it is done in harmony with the natural resorption process of the roots.
The root canal filling materials used in milk teeth are different from those used in adults. These materials, specially developed for milk teeth, dissolve with the roots as the permanent teeth beneath them erupt and are biocompatible. This supports the healthy development of the permanent teeth without causing harm.
Space Maintainers
Children may lose their milk teeth at an early age. In such cases, space maintainers come into play. Space maintainers are fixed or removable appliances that preserve the space left by a lost milk tooth. Their purpose is to prevent adjacent teeth from shifting into the space and causing permanent teeth to erupt incorrectly.
- Fixed space maintainers are appliances that are permanently bonded to the teeth using dental adhesives and maintain the space in the mouth. They are especially preferred for single tooth loss or in younger children. These space maintainers are usually made of metal alloys and are quite durable.
- Removable space maintainers are flexible, usually made of acrylic or plastic materials, and can be taken out and put back into the mouth. These are preferred when multiple teeth are lost or for children concerned with aesthetics.