Children's Dentistry
Nurturing your child’s teeth during each stage of development is an important factor in their overall health.
Regular check-ups
Regular check-ups are important for the early detection of any current or potential future problems, which allows us to effectively prevent or treat them in their early stages. Early detection can prevent more serious dental problems when your child is older, which can result in more invasive and more expensive treatment.
At your child’s regular check-ups, we are also able to answer any of your questions and provide you with ongoing and comprehensive advice about your child’s oral health and development.
Whilst waiting until your child has a full set of teeth before they visit the dentist might seem sensible, children should have their initial dental check-up by their first birthday. Dental visits at an early age helps children to get familiar with the different smells and surgery surroundings from equipment we use to our gowns, glasses and masks we wear. Even if it's just a "ride" on the chair at their first visit to help ease their curiosity or fears.
This will allow us to monitor your child’s dental health and development from a young age and provide them with proactive and ongoing management of their dental health needs.
Preventative care and early intervention are the focus of our children’s dental services.
At your child’s dental appointments, we assist you in keeping their teeth and gums clean and healthy. This includes providing professional cleaning, education on oral hygiene and diet, and evaluation of their dental condition to identify if they require any preventative or supplementary treatments. We discuss age-related topics and can answer any of your questions or concerns regarding their oral care and development.
We also continually assess their dental development as they grow, to ensure the primary and secondary teeth develop correctly, and so we are able to provide early intervention if any problems arise.
Children’s dental appointments will not only include an exam and assessment, but our team will go out of our way to ensure they have a positive experience in our practice, and they will leave with a little gift for their achievement.
We provide a happy and welcoming atmosphere, so that children feel comfortable, we give ‘rides’ on the dental chair, we have a TV in the waiting room and surgeries with kids’ channels.
What to expect during the appointment
Early childhood examinations will assess:
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Current dental condition (including if there is any tooth decay).
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Hereditary problems, for example malformed or missing teeth.
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The need for preventative supplements, such as fluoride or fissure sealants.
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Para-functional habits such as finger sucking and tongue thrusting.
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The developing growth relation between the jaws, the tooth size to jaw size relationship, and advise for any orthopaedic appliance therapy required.
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The correct growth and development of the dentition and if there is any need for appliances to correct dental malalignment (such as braces).
We will also discuss, and provide advice on, topics including:
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Hygiene techniques and instructions (e.g. brushing).
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The risk of dental decay and how to prevent it.
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Age-related information, such as teething and para-functional habits (e.g. thumb sucking).
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Brushing techniques.
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Bite (how your child’s teeth come together).
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Nutritional advice.
Preventative Care
As they say, prevention is better than cure. We want to help your child keep their natural teeth for life.
Through regular oral hygiene cleans and assessments we can effectively treat, manage and maintain their oral health, which in turn supports their overall health.
Did you know that dental caries (tooth decay) is the most common chronic
disease in children? It is about five times more common than asthma. In New South Wales,
40% of children aged 5-6 years have evidence of dental decay, and yet the disease is mostly preventable.
The enamel of baby (primary) teeth is less densely mineralised than the enamel of adult (permanent) teeth, making them more susceptible to tooth decay. Tooth decay is the main reason that children lose their baby teeth too early, and it is largely preventable by good oral hygiene practices and a healthy diet. The development of tooth decay in the baby teeth also further increase your child’s risk of developing tooth decay in their adult teeth.
We will assist you in teaching your child how to take care of their smile.
Early education on the importance of looking after their teeth can help children develop good oral hygiene habits for life.
Behaviours learnt while children are young (such as brushing, flossing, and the importance of diet and routine dental visits) can help ensure they have healthy teeth into adulthood and beyond. It can also mean less dental treatment and less dental cost over their lifetime.
Fissure sealants are a safe and effective supplementary treatment often provided to children to help prevent tooth decay.
Fissure sealants are a protective layer of resin applied to the chewing surface of the back teeth (molars).
Fissures are the grooves that occur on the chewing surfaces of the
back teeth. Sometimes these fissures are too deep and may be difficult to
clean with a toothbrush. This can lead to food, plaque and bacteria
becoming trapped in the fissures and causing cavities.
Fissure sealants are made from tooth-coloured resin which flows into the deep
grooves to fill them.
The sealant will act as a barrier to bacteria and food debris, and will make the tooth surface smoother and therefore easier to clean.
The application of sealants does not require any drilling or local anaesthetic, and multiple sealants can be applied in one appointment.
Beginning routine check-ups when children are young allows us to assess the development of their dentition as they grow.
Our dentists closely monitor the growth and development of your child’s
smile, bite and facial profile to identify and rectify any potential
developmental problems early.
This can include problems such as tongue ties, cross bites, and crowded
or missing teeth.
Early intervention can result in less invasive procedures when the child is
older.
Our dentists believe that specialised areas such as orthodontics (braces)
and orthopaedics (functional appliances) are best handled by a specialist. We will conduct a
full mouth assessment and may advise you to see an orthodontist or paediatric specialist for further
advice and treatment.
Dental misalignment goes beyond cosmetics. A misaligned bite can be harder to clean (leading to tooth decay), make it difficult to chew some foods, cause abnormal wear on tooth surfaces, affect speech development, cause improper breathing, and cause muscle tension and pain.
Children’s Orthodontics and Orthopaedics
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that focuses on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of problems relating to the misalignment of teeth and jaws.
The technical term for these problems is malocclusion, literally meaning ‘bad bite’.
Orthodontic treatments involve the planning and use of corrective appliances (such as braces and plates) to bring the teeth and jaws into proper alignment. This improves the health, appearance and function of the teeth.
Children’s orthodontic services include early intervention orthopaedics, functional appliances, and traditional braces.
When malocclusion is left untreated, it can lead to:
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Tooth decay and poor oral hygiene.
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Abnormal wear of tooth surfaces.
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Chipped, fractured or broken teeth.
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Excessive stress of gum tissue.
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Discomfort.
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Inefficient chewing and problems with digestion.
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Clenching and grinding.
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Chronic headaches.
A severely misaligned bite can also cause improper breathing (breathing through the mouth instead of through the nose). A misaligned bite may also lead to speech problems, inaccurate speech development, or a speech impediment.
What causes Malocclusion?
Malocclusion can be caused by a number of factors, including:
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A mismatch in size between the upper and lower jaws.
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A mismatch in size between the jaw and teeth.
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Jaws that under or over develop (are too large or too small).
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Premature or congenital loss of the primary (baby) teeth.
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Childhood para-functional habits including thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and mouth breathing.
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Prolonged use of a dummy (pacifier) or bottle during childhood.
What conditions can be corrected through orthodontic treatment?
Orthodontic treatment can correct conditions including:
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Crowded teeth.
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Crooked teeth.
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Diastema (space between two teeth, usually the front teeth).
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Multiple gaps between teeth.
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Abnormal bite pattern of the upper and lower teeth.
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Overjet (protrusion of the upper front teeth, also called ‘buck teeth’).
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Overbite (when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth, also called a ‘closed bite’).
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Underbite (when the lower jaw protrudes forward).
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Crossbite (where the upper teeth bite on the inside of the lower teeth. Can occur on one or both sides).
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Open bite (where the upper and lower teeth don’t touch even when the mouth is closed).
Children’s orthodontic services include:
Appliances:
Orthodontic treatment can involve the use of fixed or removable appliances, either instead of or in conjunction with braces or orthopaedics, such as:
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Special fixed appliances to control para-functional habits such as thumb sucking or tongue thrusting.
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Fixed or removable space maintainers to hold the space for permanent (adult) teeth if a primary (baby) tooth is lost prematurely, which can prevent crowding.
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Jaw repositioning appliances which guide the jaws to close in a more favourable position.
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Palatal expanders to widen the arch of the upper jaw, reducing or eliminating the need to extract healthy teeth, and to prevent crowding.
Braces
Braces are metal or ceramic brackets that are bonded (glued) to the front of individual teeth.
A lightweight wire is then threaded through each bracket and held in place with elastic ligature ties. Bands may also be fixed around the teeth to act as anchors for the appliance, if required.
Braces exert even, constant pressure onto teeth in order to gradually and precisely move them into a desired position. They can be used to both straighten teeth and also to correct bite or jaw alignment problems.
Traditional braces use metal brackets with coloured ligature ties. Patients can choose the colour of the ties, and change the colour at each adjustment appointment if desired.
Dentofacial Orthopaedics
What is orthopaedics?
Dento-facial orthopaedics is also known as early-intervention orthodontic treatment, or interceptive orthodontics. It is used in growing children to address and intercept developing dentoskeletal problems.
Orthopaedics focuses on the correct growth and relationship of the jaw and facial bones for proper dental development, whereas orthodontics focuses on the correct alignment of the dentition (teeth).
Lingual (tongue tie) and labial frenectomies
A frenum, also called a frenulum, is a small fold of muscular tissue that prevents an organ in the body from moving too far.
There are two main frenums in the mouth: the lingual frenum (under the tongue) and the labial frenum (in the upper lip).
A frenectomy is a simple, minimally invasive surgical procedure performed to loosen, release or reshape a frenum that is malformed.
A lingual frenectomy will increase the range of motion of the tongue.
A labial frenectomy will assist in closing a gap between the upper front teeth.
Generally, the frenums are assessed from when
children are young. If a frenum is malformed
(too short, too long, or too rigid) it can cause developmental problems and
movement restrictions as the child grows.
Lingual frenum
The lingual frenum is the band of tissue that connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
If you lift your child’s tongue up, you will be able to see the lingual frenum underneath.
The lingual frenum is designed to connect the tongue to the jawbone, but if the frenum is too tight or too short (attaches too close to the tip of the tongue) it can restrict the movement of the tongue. This condition is commonly called a tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) and it can affect speech, swallowing, breast feeding and eating.
A tongue-tie may also inhibit correct jaw development, which can cause long-term orthodontic problems and/or lead to sleep apnoea.
Labial frenum
The labial frenum is the small band of tissue that connects from the centre of the upper lip to between the upper front teeth.
If the labial frenum is too long it can create a large gap between the two front teeth, and/or cause gum recession as the frenum pulls the gums away from the teeth.
In rarer cases, if the frenum is too short/tight it can create an open-mouth position that inhibits the mouth from properly sealing. This can cause mouth breathing and improper development of the airway and jaw.
Procedure
Whether our concern is the lingual or labial frenum, the procedure is generally the same.
It involves removing and/or reshaping the frenum to create a greater range of motion of the lips or tongue, and to allow for proper oral development and muscular function.
Laser surgery
Lingual and labial frenectomies are minimally invasive procedures performed using laser surgery.
The use of laser technology for dental treatment is advanced, safe and highly effective.
The laser is ideal for precisely removing and reshaping soft tissue and it cauterises (seals off the blood vessels) at the same time. This helps to reduce or eliminate bleeding both during and after the procedure. The laser also provides a more sterilised treatment environment, and can result in faster treatment times, and quicker patient healing and recovery.
Laser surgery is quick, straightforward and is generally well tolerated under local anaesthetic (to numb the treatment area).
Beginning dental visits at a young age provides early exposure to the dental environment, which can help prevent dental phobias later in life.
We go out of our way to make the dental visit experience as positive for
your child as possible. For toddlers onwards dental visits include
interactive experiences and building trust, such as practising opening
their mouths wide and helping us count their teeth (after they guess
how many they have).
Children are praised throughout the appointments for their listening
skills and ability to follow instructions.
We strongly advise parents to refrain from using dental visits as a threat or
deterrent for bad behaviour (such as not brushing teeth) whenever possible.
We highly encourage the early involvement of children in the dental environment, and
we are happy for them to accompany parents or siblings to their appointments as well. Our friendly team are also happy to mind young children for parents during their own appointments. We will provide rides on the dental chair, the option to interact with safe dental equipment. We also have balloons, toys, colouring sheets and pencils, and children’s TV shows to keep them occupied while you are in the surgery.
