Why Are Baby Teeth So Important?
Primary teeth are important because they help with proper chewing and eating, help in speech development, and add to an attractive appearance. A child who can chew easily, speak clearly, and smile confidently is a happier child. Healthy primary teeth allow normal development of the jaw bones and muscles, save space for the permanent teeth, and guide them into place. If a baby tooth is lost too soon, permanent teeth may come in crooked. Decayed baby teeth can cause pain, abscesses, infections, and can spread to the permanent teeth. Also, your child’s general health can be affected if diseased baby teeth aren’t treated. Remember, some primary molars are not replaced until age 10-14, so they must last for years.
In younger children, our focus is on maintaining their baby teeth until they naturally fall out in favor of their permanent teeth. However, as the child becomes an adolescent and begins developing appearance and self-image issues, our focus expands to meet these additional cosmetic needs as well.
We strongly believe that early dental care promotes a lifetime of healthy smiles for your child. Our goal is to provide a positive experience and help equip your child with the knowledge necessary for good oral hygiene, we offer a number of services.
Regular check-ups – by going to the dentist every 6 months, your child will get used to us quickly and we will also be able to detect any dental disease early and act appropriately so to keep the intervention to a minimum.
Application of fluoride varnish or gel – this is done to harden the enamel of your child’s tooth to make it more resistant to dental disease.
Fissure sealants – fissure sealants are applied to teeth with deep groves to prevent food getting stuck in them. This makes teeth easier to clean and also helps to prevent decay from occurring.
White fillings – in the event where your child does need a filling, we use materials that are white and metal free to keep their smile as natural looking as possible.
Oral health education and dietary advice – we are always on hand to show your child how to clean their teeth properly. This is the most important dental advice your child can be given as proper cleaning will help to avoid dental problems from occurring in the future.
To ensure that your child grows up with a healthy smile, we offer sealants, fluoride treatment, tooth-colored fillings and regular checkups. We will also monitor the eruption of permanent teeth at complimentary orthodontic evaluations, to avoid any problems associated with natural tooth eruption.
