PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
In the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic of our faculty, dental treatments for primary and permanent teeth, as well as preventive applications against tooth decay, are provided for children between the ages of 0 and 15 by a team of specialist dentists, without creating fear of the dentist. When necessary, these procedures can be performed under sedation or general anesthesia.
Children who apply to our clinic as emergencies due to dental trauma can be treated immediately in a separate unit. Our patients can safely and enjoyably wait for their appointment times in the children’s play area located in our clinic.
In addition to preventing cavities, treating decayed primary and permanent teeth, and preserving the space for permanent teeth with appropriate space maintainers after early tooth loss, treatments aimed at normal jaw and occlusion development are also among the main responsibilities of pediatric dentistry. These include the treatment of traumatized teeth, surgical exposure of impacted teeth to guide their eruption, and extraction of supernumerary teeth.
Our main goal is to maintain the integrity of the primary dentition and ensure a smooth transition to the permanent dental arch. We provide preventive, protective and interventional dental care for patients up to the age of 15, while also helping prevent harmful oral habits.
For patients with disabilities, dental caries treatments can be performed under general anesthesia. We also provide care for problems caused by insufficient lip closure and weak oral and cheek muscles.
In our newborn clinic for children aged 0-2, and in cases of early childhood caries under the age of 6, our treatment principles are determined according to the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. We also work to prevent harmful habits.
A healthy and beautiful smile throughout life is possible with healthy primary teeth. We wish our children a lifetime of happy smiles with bright, healthy teeth.
Frequently Asked Questions
With the eruption of the first primary tooth at around six months, and before the child reaches 12 months of age, a caries risk assessment should be performed and family education should be provided.
With the eruption of the first primary tooth, oral hygiene measures should be started and the teeth should be brushed. Tooth brushing should be performed by the parent using an age-appropriate soft toothbrush.
An age-appropriate children’s toothpaste should be used. For children under 3 years of age, a smear or rice-sized amount should be placed on a dry toothbrush. For children between 3 and 6 years of age, a pea-sized amount should be used.
For children with a high risk of cavities, a dental visit every 3 months is recommended. For children with moderate or low caries risk, a dental visit every 6 months is recommended.
In children under the age of 3, even the presence of any sign of decay on the smooth surfaces of the teeth is considered an indication of Severe Early Childhood Caries.
Children who show behavioral problems during dental treatment are mostly managed with non-pharmacological methods. In children with whom communication cannot be established, dental treatments may be performed with the help of sedation or general anesthesia. To minimize risks, blood tests are requested from the child, and after approval by the anesthesiologist, dental treatments are performed under sedation or general anesthesia in operating room conditions.
After early extractions, permanent teeth may fail to erupt properly or may erupt in a crowded position. To prevent this, space maintainers are used. These are usually cast wires, 2-3 mm thick, resembling a small ring.
The bacteria that cause tooth decay and the bacteria that settle in the area after decay has formed are different. To protect both your child’s oral health and general health, decayed teeth should be treated. In addition, primary teeth guide the eruption of permanent teeth. If primary teeth are extracted early, permanent teeth may lose their eruption path; they may erupt in a crowded position or remain impacted.
The first primary teeth begin to form while the baby is still in the womb, at around the 6th week of pregnancy.
Tooth decay can be prevented through protective, preventive and arresting approaches, as well as regular dental check-ups.