Pediatric Dental Restoration
Although they don’t last as long as permanent teeth, your child’s first teeth play an important role in their development. Primary teeth help your little one speak, smile, and chew. They also hold space in the jaw for permanent teeth. Early loss of milk teeth can cause permanent tooth eruption in a crooked manner. Milk teeth are highly prone to cavities and affect the soft teeth of a child more than adults. Sealants cover the pits and fissures on teeth that are difficult to brush and retain cavity-causing bacteria. Early childhood caries, or baby bottle tooth decay, is a serious form of decay seen in bottle-fed kids. It is caused by frequent and long exposure of the teeth to the bottle and liquids containing sugar. Putting the baby to sleep with a bottle containing anything other than water can cause serious and rapid decay. After feeding, the baby’s gums and teeth should be cleaned with a damp cloth.
Once the decay starts, removing the demineralized enamel and fitting it with a biocompatible material will ensure healthier teeth that won’t fall before the natural timeline.
Pediatric RCT and Crowns
Dental caries and traumatic injuries are the main reasons teeth require pulp therapy, also known as a root canal. Pulpectomy and pulpotomy are the two forms of pulp therapy given to children. Just like in adults, an anaesthetic agent is given to numb the tooth, and the infected pulp is removed. The canal is cleansed and disinfected. In the case of a milk tooth, a similar material is filled in the canal. After the final restoration, a metal or ceramic cap is placed to protect the infected tooth from fracture.
Sedation Dentistry
Younger children often find it difficult to cooperate during dental treatments and end up crying. Conscious sedation makes a child drowsy and less reactive during dental treatment, making the experience more comfortable for the child. A positioning and protective stabilization wrap is used for a sedated child to ensure the safety of the child and the efficiency of the treatment. During the procedure, there is continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation and heart rate. Three types of sedation are practiced in dentistry. Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is an oral sedative given in the form of tablets or IV sedation. The effects wear off depending on the sedation technique used, ranging from a few minutes to three hours.