Pediatric Dentistry | The Ultimate Guide (Content Hub)

Matt Hannan, DDS
Updated: January 14, 2024

Pediatric dentists specialize in preventing, managing, and treating dental diseases in children and patients with special needs.

After completing four years of dental school, they meet an additional 2 to 3 years of training and education specializing in kids’ dentistry.

Most general dentists receive limited training in managing children during dental treatment.

Understanding pediatric dentistry will help eliminate fear, anxiety, and worry for children at the dentist.

What Is a Pediatric Dentist? (Read this FIRST)

Most parents can attest to the challenges of getting their kids in the car, let alone brushing their teeth before bed.

The struggle is real! Can you imagine the difficulties a dentist would have fixing a cavity?

As a dentist, restoring a tooth in an uncooperative child is one of the most significant challenges. That’s where pediatric dentists, also called pedodontists, come into play.

Pedodontists complete years of extensive training and education to care for children’s oral health. Let’s take a closer look from a dentist’s perspective.

If you’re interested in learning more about pediatric dentistry, check out the link below.

Silver Diamine Fluoride Treatment (What’s Involved?)

According to the CDC, cavities are one of the greatest unmet dental needs.

Did you know half of all children have had or will have a cavity?

Unfortunately, filling a cavity is a process that requires time out of your schedule and is costly. Silver diamine fluoride treatment can arrest (stop) a cavity from progressing.

This magic-like liquid is available at most dental offices. Let’s take a closer look at this beneficial treatment from a dentist’s perspective.

If you are interested in learning more about silver diamine fluoride, check out the link below.

Stainless Steel Crowns (Pros & Cons)

I’m sure you’ve seen stainless steel crowns on children’s teeth – You can’t miss them!

They are essential in protecting broken or decayed baby teeth but are unsightly. Are they necessary?

Understanding the pros and cons of stainless steel crowns will help you decide if your child needs one.

From a dentist’s perspective, let’s take a closer look at stainless steel crowns (SSC) and learn more about them.

If you are interested in learning more about stainless steel crowns, check out the link below.

Pediatric Dental Sedation (Helpful Guide)

According to recent studies, 10%–20% of the US population avoid necessary dental care because of dental anxiety.

What’s scary is dental anxiety develops in childhood as a result of frightening and painful dental experiences. In fact, 100,000–250,000 pediatric dental sedations are performed yearly in the USA.

Pediatric dental sedation can be scary for the child and parent. Typical questions that you should address include: Is it safe? What are the risks my child doesn’t wake up?

Let’s take a closer look at pediatric dental sedation from a dentist’s perspective.

If you are interested in learning more about pediatric dental sedation, check out the link below.

Fluoride Varnish vs. Fluoride Treatment (What’s the difference?)

What’s the difference between fluoride varnish and fluoride treatment?

Fluoride is a hot topic today, especially in the dental office. There are many questions about fluoride, including its effectiveness, safety and necessity. Is it safe for children? It’s so expensive; is it worth it?

Let’s take a closer look at fluoride from a dentist’s perspective.

If you are interested in learning more about the differences between fluoride, check out the link below.

What is Early Childhood Caries (ECC)? Helpful Advice & Treatment

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a destructive oral health disease that affects infants and preschool children worldwide.

What’s involved? ECC is the presence of one or more decayed, missing, or filled primary teeth in children five and younger.

Did you know that 85% of disadvantaged groups are affected by ECC? Helpful advice and treatment are necessary for diagnosis and healing.

If you’re interested in learning more about early childhood caries (ECC), check out the link below.

My Experience & Expertise

This guide highlights all aspects of pediatric dentistry.

We desire that this guide points you to the selected articles so you are fully informed the next time you visit the dentist. Circle back to this content hub, home base. Good luck!

Need a second opinion? We can help! Learn more. Knowledge is power when cultivating healthy dental habits. The more informed you are, the better positioned you’ll be to prevent avoidable and potentially costly dental procedures for you and your family. Watch for future blog posts, where we’ll continue sharing important information, product reviews and practical advice!

Sources

• Dental Caries (Tooth Decay) in Children Age 2 to 11. NIH, 2015.
• Large study links gum disease with dementia. National Institute on Aging, 2020.
• White A., The Prevalence of Dental Anxiety in Dental Practice Settings. Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2017.
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). 2022.
• American Dental Association (ADA). 2022.