Children’s dentistry is about more than just those first few visits. When you bring your child to Ashton Avenue Dental, we endeavour to be there not just for their first tooth, but a lifetime of teeth. Our dentist in claremont want to help you build the foundations for a healthy smile, as well as maintain your child’s dental health throughout their life.
Our highly experienced Claremont dentist are trained to identify orthodontic issues and provide early intervention to correct problems such as crossbites, overbites, and underbites.
We know that dental emergencies can happen at any time. That’s why we offer emergency dental care for children, so you can get the care your child needs right away. If your child has a severe toothache, or knocked out tooth – give us a call to see our emergency dentist in Claremont for children.
We strive to make each visit a positive experience for your child and look forward to seeing you soon.
Studies don’t show that flossing is important in preventing tooth decay in young children. In fact, it is regularly brushing teeth and having a balanced diet that are most important. We recommend flossing for a child who continues to get decay in between their teeth after other preventative measures have not worked. If there are spaces in between your child’s teeth, there is no need to floss.
As we age through adolescence and into adulthood, flossing becomes increasingly important in preventing gum disease and breath problems.
Sealants are a very effective preventive therapy against tooth decay. On the chewing surface of the baby and adult molars are pits and fissures, which are normal imperfections of the teeth. The purpose of sealants is to fill in these areas to protect them from decay.
The sealant is a liquid that becomes hard like plastic after it is applied to the tooth. Sealant therapy, which was introduced over twenty years ago, has no drilling required (non-invasive) and it doesn’t require a local anaesthetic.
There are many reasons for tooth discolouration and even healthy children can experience this. Most stains are on the tooth surface and are caused by the build-up of bacteria, usually from lack of good brushing or mouth breathing. Try adult toothpaste or a mixture of baking soda and water. If this doesn’t work, your dentist should be able to remove the stain if it is on the tooth surface.
In some cases, discolouration is caused by disturbances that happen during tooth growth and cause stains in the enamel. Stains can also be caused by excess fluoride. In cases of childhood malnutrition, chronic illness, long term use of some medications or radiation therapy, tooth spots can form and the teeth will appear chipped or broken.
Back teeth may also be affected. By asking questions about your child’s health history and looking at the teeth, we may be able to identify the cause and suggest options to improve their appearance.
Malocclusion is a faulty bite. Most of the time, it happens because the size and shape of the teeth don’t match that of the jaws. It can also happen because the upper and lower jaws don’t match each other and the other bones of the face. A look at your child’s profile may help you to see whether there is a problem with the growth of their jaw and facial bones.
The genetics of the parents determine the jaw growth and tooth size of children. Tooth decay of the baby teeth, premature loss of baby teeth from tooth decay and crowding are major causes of malocclusion. Premature loss of baby teeth due to lack of jaw space from erupting adult teeth also causes malocclusion.
Yes, although crowding is common, we need to consider your child’s future oral health. A child with crowded teeth and jaw problems will not necessarily have more problems as they become an adult. However, adults with crowded teeth have more problems than adults with good jaw and tooth alignment.
Because adult teeth are larger than baby teeth, jaw size and growth may not provide enough space. If you still see crowding by 8-9 years when all the four upper and four lower adult teeth have erupted, the crowding will probably not improve. For most children and adults, crowding is the most common malocclusion. Sometimes a baby tooth is lost early because of lack of jaw space for new adult teeth. If you see crowding, request that the dentist examine your child and discuss the options with you.
