For parents with youngsters, it’s important to find a pediatric dentist in Chicagoland whom your child feels comfortable around and can form a years-long bond with. Smile On Dental & Sleep Apnea Center is such a dentist, and we bring a caring, experienced approach to the various dental treatment options that we offer for children.
What Is a Pediatric Dentist?
In addition to completing the educational requirements stipulated for every dentist, a pediatric dentist then spends at least two additional years in residency training in order to hone the skills needed to practice dentistry for kids of all ages – from babies to teenagers, including children with special needs. Pediatric dentists are uniquely qualified to care for the teeth, gums, and mouth of a child, helping ensure good oral health up until adulthood.
Dental problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and toothaches are commonly thought of as “adult issues”, but the truth is that these setbacks can happen to children, especially in the absence of professional dental care. And given that the average baby gets his first teeth within the first six months of life, it’s important to form an early relationship with a pediatric dentist with the experience to care for baby teeth and the secondary, permanent teeth that begin to appear around age six or seven. A child deprived of dental care risks years of oral complications, but this risk is greatly reduced when a pediatric dentist is involved.
Dental Treatment Options For Children
Our local dentists offer numerous forms of pediatric dental treatment. These include:
- An oral health exam for infants. This includes a risk assessment for “caries”, an infectious disease that is more common in children than hay fever or asthma.
- Habit-related solutions, i.e. for thumb-sucking and pacifier use
- Child-focused preventive dental care including cleaning and fluoride treatments, along with diet and nutrition advice for maintaining healthy teeth
- Early analysis regarding the eventual need for straightening a child’s teeth or remedying an improper bite
- Cavity repair and injury-related care (i.e. a cracked, displaced, or knocked-out tooth)
- Identification and treatment of any signs related to pediatric periodontal gum disease
- Diagnosis of oral risks related to any non-oral ailments a child may suffer from: diabetes, asthma/hay fever, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
An Approach Tailored Specifically To Children
There’s a world of difference between the mindset and behavior of an adult in the dentist’s chair, and that of a child. With kids, patience and cooperative skills are at times in short supply, but pediatric dentists know how to make children comfortable. Through a combination of personal skills, specially designed equipment, and a kid-friendly office environment, a pediatric dentist skillfully administers the appropriate treatment options and cares for the child’s gums, teeth, and mouth.
Our Family Dentist Is Great For All Ages
At Smile On Dental & Sleep Apnea Center, a respected family dentist serving Deerfield and Chicago, we enjoy working with patients of all ages – especially kids. Whether you have a toddler, a grade-schooler, or a teen, contact us today and make an appointment with our caring, experienced pediatric dentist.