Are you the parent of a teen or a child who will soon enter their teen years? You likely have a number of concerns about this new chapter in their growth and development. Healthcare decisions are likely on your mind. Perhaps you are trying to decide whether or not your child can or should see a general dentist.
Most family dentists offer services to individuals of varying ages. However, a pediatric dentist focuses on dental care for young individuals. Either one of these dentist options can provide dental services to teens. However, there are good reasons to allow your developing teen or soon-to-be teen to have a pediatric dentist provide services. The following are excellent reasons to choose this option for their oral health needs.
Early Wisdom Teeth Issues
Your teen's bone system is continuously developing. Teeth are a part of that system. Even though wisdom teeth usually do not erupt in the early teens, pediatric dentists can perform examinations that can determine if wisdom teeth could cause issues for your child.
Extracting wisdom teeth can be a terrifying experience, and pediatric dentists are used to dealing with young patients who have dental anxiety. Early wisdom teeth extraction may be recommended if there is a risk for the teeth pushing through the gums and forcing surrounding teeth into crooked positioning.
Misalignment Causes
Teeth can get misaligned due to various circumstances that can range from trauma to natural development. A pediatric dentist can assess your child and determine if they are at an appropriate age and mentally appropriate level to consider interventions for misalignments. A pediatric dentist can offer insight into options to correct misalignments such as cosmetic dentistry or cosmetic enhancements.
Foresight Regarding Future Development
Tooth development is also taken into consideration by dentists who provide services to children. Proper oral hygiene is imperative to ensure that orthodontic treatments do not lead to more complex issues such as tooth decay or tooth decalcification. It is also important to note the progression of adult teeth and which ones have not erupted.
Early orthodontic treatments could mean temporarily correcting misaligned teeth if the underlying adult teeth have not pushed through. Unfortunately, this could result in a need for orthodontic treatments more than once in life. Pediatric dentists can explain to parents the importance of timing interventions at the correct stage of growth.
It is also possible for children to have jaw bone growth patterns that are advanced or delayed. This can impact the way that teeth grow into place. Early identification of jaw bone issues can be beneficial in protecting against growth deformities. Jaw issues can also cause mandibular pain or teeth grinding. Pediatric dentists can be used as a resource to diagnose and treat these issues.
To learn more information, reach out to a pediatric dental clinic near you.