A dentist plays an important role in the health of every member of the family. That includes all of the children and even infants. A kids dentist in Highland Park will expect to start seeing a baby as soon as their first tooth has come in. Prior to that they may instruct the parents to take a clean soft cloth and wipe the baby’s gums two or three times a day. It’s wonderful when the family dentist is also the child’s dentist. It allows the small toddler to see the dentist cleaning his parents teeth this makes it much less scary for them.
Some parents don’t realize how important a child’s baby teeth are. They help the jaw bone develop properly and reach the proper size to accommodate adult teeth. Therefore it’s important that the child learns good dental habits as soon as possible. That way the baby teeth will stay in place until it’s time for them to make room for the child’s adult teeth.
Once the child’s permanent teeth arrive, the kids dentist in Highland Park will prescribe fluoride treatments or vitamins with fluoride. This will make the tooth enamel strong and help prevent cavities. The molars are the last teeth to take their place in the child’s mouth. They have large horizontal surfaces that have microscopic cracks in them. These are the perfect places for bacteria to seep into the tooth and cause decay. The dentist can coat these teeth with a sealant to fill the cracks and prevent cavities.
One of the most important roles that a kids dentist in Highland Park plays is to assess whether or not the child should have their teeth straightened. While some adjustments are minor and can be done with Invisalign clear aligners, others are major and require traditional metal braces and wires. This is not just for cosmetic reasons. Orthodontic treatments can make sure that the jaws are aligned properly and fix any bite problems. This can prevent many types of jaw pain and even headaches as the child becomes an adult.
When the child sees a kids dentist in Highland Park that is also a family dentist, they can continue seeing them as long as they live in the community. This creates a continuity of care than benefits the patient. Visit North Suburban Dental of Highland Park to learn more about child-friendly dentistry.
