Dentistry for Children in Durban

If you want your child to have healthy teeth for a lifetime it is important to start dental visits as soon as the first few teeth come out. The earlier a child starts seeing a dentist, the easier it is for them to familiarize themselves with a dentist. The fear of those initial few consults will not be remembered and therefore a healthier bond is formed. Dentistry for children in Durban can be tackled with Family Dental Care at any of our branches across the city.

Treatments offered by our Paediatric Dentists

Preventative– this is the treatment type done at twice yearly recommended visits to the dentist. Our services include infant oral exams, a professional clean and an all-round mouth check-up which includes the soft tissue in the rest of the mouth. Fluoride treatments are often done on teeth during these visits. These prevent plaque from forming on the tooth, hence protection against cavities. Preventative visits are covered on most medical aids as they prevent a good amount of future restorative expenses.

Restorative– this is done to correct any decay on teeth. It requires a local anaesthetic to numb out the area so that the child feels no pain. Again, we have to stress how important dentistry for children in Durban is, for something like this to be avoided. The decayed portion is removed with special equipment. The restorative aspect comes in the form of a dental filling so that there will not be a little hole in the tooth. Our paediatric dentist will use the composite type filling which can be matched exactly with the tooth colour. Once this filling paste has been applied, it is hardened with UV light technology and then filed into shape. The twice yearly dentist visits is a worldwide norm so that dentists can remove plaque bacteria before they escalate to the stage of making its way into the tooth structure.

Sealants– this type of dentistry for children in Durban is required to be done on kids who are prone to developing cavities. Sealants are used on the molars, for they have tiny grooves which attract food particles which is then hard to remove with a home cleaning alone. A dental sealant is a plastic coating which is meant to smooth out this area so that food particles cannot get stuck in the tiny grooves.

Space maintainers– these are small metal pieces which are inserted into the mouth to fill out the space left behind when a primary tooth falls out. They ensure that the empty space is kept open for the permanent tooth. Without them, there is an increased risk of adjacent tooth moving in on the space and causing an overcrowding in the one spot. They prevent a lot of orthodontic intervention at a later stage.

Tooth extractions– let’s face it, tooth extractions are never fun, more so for children. This is why it is vital to have a paediatric dentist on board to perform the extraction. Even though, a local anaesthetic is used, the dentist must be trained to handle the pulling out of the tooth and keeping the child at ease with a certain gentleness.

Conscious sedation– dentistry for children in Durban is a little more difficult with kids who are anxious about the visit. They are likely to cry and jerk around quite a lot making the dentist’s job harder and not to mention that the child will be in the chair a lot longer. Conscious sedation is an option for these children. At Family Dental Care we offer dentistry for children in Durban, under conscious sedation in our rooms. An anaesthesiologist will have to be brought in so it cannot be a same day appointment. Children will not be knocked out cold. They will still be awake but in a firmly relaxed state, with none of the treatments bothering them whatsoever.

General anaesthetic– this is where the child will be put to sleep completely. It is not done in our rooms but a nearby hospital. This is the route taken with dentistry for children in Durban if there is a lot to be treated in the child’s mouth and our dentist prefers this in the event of any complications.

Caring for Primary Teeth

• Ideally, dentistry for children should be done when the first few teeth are out or parents should ensure that a visit be made before 1 year of age.
• Just like with adults, dentistry for children should be maintained twice a year so that dentists are able to pick up on abnormalities early on and treat it or form a plan of action.
• Specialty mouth devices will be recommended by our dentist if a child is still sucking on their fingers or thumb past 3 years of age.
• The health of primary teeth should not be ignored just because they are going to fall out anyway and make way for permanent teeth. In addition to aiding kids with their chewing and speech, they form the path that permanent teeth will take when they are ready to erupt. The area should therefore be kept healthy as bacteria can make its way into the gum area and eat into the connective tissue, making for a not so stable base for the permanent tooth when it eventually comes through.
• At home practices should be adhered to properly. Age appropriate brushes and toothpaste amounts should be used every day for cleaning.