Dentistry for Children

Treating children’s teeth is very different from that of adults. Along professionalism, a true paediatric dentist should be an actor with good story-telling skills as well as a reassuring and encouraging friend. Brave young patients should be rewarded and awarded for their bravery in the dentist’s chair.

Why is the child’s first visit to the dentist so important?

Our hygiene and healthy lifestyle habits are usually formed at a very young age. Therefore, our experience as a child at the dental office will have a major influence on our attitude towards oral health and dentists in the future. First impressions count. So the first visit to the dentist is of vital importance.

When should your child first visit a dentist?

Your child’s first visit to the dentist should be scheduled when the first teeth appear. At the age of 8-9, we recommend that the child should visit an orthodontist, a specialist who is interested in the position of the teeth in your mouth. He or she will examine the teeth and can detect a malocclusion or notice misaligned teeth. Orthodontic problems identified in time can be dealt with fairly easily.

What should you know about your child’s first visit to the dentist?

The child’s first visit to the dentist should be educational and as positive and enjoyable as possible.Therefore, it would best not to wait until children start complaining about having a toothache. It would be ideal if during the first visit the dentist could just talk to the child and examine his or her teeth without any instruments. If children are curious enough, they could be introduced to some of the instruments like the funny saliva ejector, the mirror or multi-coloured fillings which can be chosen by the child if some cavities need to be filled. Later on they could be shown to friends or family as proof of their courage.

During the first visit, the dentist can also tell the child about proper oral hygiene habits and how to maintain good dental health.

How to prepare the child for the first visit to the dentist?

Even if the child has a toothache and the first visit will not be just an educational one, the child should not be “comforted” in adults’ terminology. This is one of the most common mistakes while preparing the child for the first visit to the dentist.  Without thinking, parents scare the child off  by explaining that “the dentist is only going to use a needle or a drill“ or “it’s going to hurt a bit“.  This way the child, who has never been to the dentist, will have negative associations with the dental visit and become scared in advance. A curious child might be explained that the dentist will help and fix the aching tooth with colourful glue. If you choose to explain something, do it in a positive and nonthreatening way.

• (kabučių ženklas)

  Children feel their parents fear. Therefore, it is very important for the parents themselves to remain calm.

The dentist should become a lifelong friend

In children’s dentistry it is important to find one dental professional and visit him or her until the teenage years or longer. If during the first dental visit the dentist gains the child’s trust and the kid likes the dentist, it will facilitate the future treatment process a lot. It happens quite often that one dentist can get on with the young patient really well and carry out treatment procedures successfully, whereas taken to another place for one reason or another, the little patient simply refuses to open the mouth. Thus, to prevent this from happening, it would be advisable to stay with the same doctor as long as possible.