There are some easy ways to find the best type of child’s dentist, or pediatric dentist, for you. You should look for dentists who advertise that they specialize in treating children’s teeth. You can also check their qualifications and how they treat their patients and their parents. For referrals, you can always ask your family and friends for who they take their kids to.
Best child dentist near me – My child’s dentist
You might have heard that you need to find a child’s dentist but got confused because you have a good dentist for you. Why do you need a best child dentist near me? How can you go about finding the best child dentist near me in Miami FL?
One place to start is by looking at the American Dental Association’s website and using their Find-A-Dentist tool. You can look at your location, or if you have a name of a dentist and you want to check if they are a member, you can put in the dentist’s name. You can also ask your friends and family for which pediatric dental clinic they use. You can find ones in Coral Gables, South Miami, Coconut Grove, or any other Miami neighborhood.
How does a pediatric dentist get their certificate? They complete their college courses and get their doctor of dental medicine degree in general dentistry. Then they go on to complete a specialty in pediatric dentistry which means additional training and years of experience spent working with children and their unique needs.
If you are concerned about the cost of dental health care for your child, you can look for low-cost or no-cost care from universities like the University of Florida, or other public health service providers.
Before we learn more about pediatric dentistry and orthodontics, let’s pause and learn a bit more from some of the experts of dental medicine.
The American Academy of Pediatric dentistry (AAPD) has created standards for oral health care for infants and young children (Bakhurji EA et al., 2021).
You might think an infant is too young, but these standards are set up to help your child start receiving dental care about six months after their first tooth comes in but before they reach their first birthday (Bakhurji EA et al., 2021).
The reason general dentists are not the best to take infants to is that they don’t consistently do oral health exams for infants. Contrast that with 100% of pediatric dentists who do these, and you can see why you need a pediatric dentist (Bakhurji EA et al., 2021).
How does a child dentist fix dental issues in children? Best dentist for child near me
A child dentist in Miami FL provides dental services to kids by doing a lot of work to prevent major issues that may occur in the teeth of infants, children, and teens. You no doubt have heard of the saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that is true of pediatric dentistry also. Being able to provide preventive dental care to kids through regular checkups and cleanings will help ensure your kids have healthy smiles for life.
Pediatric dentists in Miami can help prevent tooth decay, something the CDC says 1/5 of all kids between the ages of 5 and 11 deal with. Pediatric dentists can help fill in cavities as well, keeping your kids from having tooth pain. Those cavities if left untreated can also get infected, and then you need to get a root canal treatment done. That might mean missed classes, or the pain might make it harder for your child to concentrate on school. But by treating cavities when they are small, bigger issues can be prevented. If your child needs it, your Miami FL pediatric dentist can also give them fluoride treatments or even dental sealants that can protect the teeth against cavities for a few years.
Pediatric dentists in Miami will also make sure that your kids know how to take care of their teeth properly between visits, including recommending the right toothbrush for their needs and size of their mouth. They can also teach you some tricks to help your child end the habit of sucking their thumb. Some kids have sensitive teeth, and those can be cared for also with gentle treatment.
Kids can have accidents and knock out a tooth that is not ready to come out yet. A pediatric dentist can solve that problem with space maintainers that hold the spot until the adult tooth can grow in.
What age is recommended a child get braces? Is 10 too young?
Actually, 10 is not too young. Each child is unique and their treatment time and starting age will depend on their unique treatment plan. But most kids get braces between 9 and 14. Most orthodontists recommend this age because their jaws have not formed into their adult alignments and so braces can be more effective at this age.
Why do some kids have braces? Child’s dentist near me
Children need braces for a variety of reasons. They may have crooked teeth or crowded teeth. Or they may have a bite alignment issue, also called a malocclusion. There can be a number of issues like overbites, underbites, or cross bites.
When you visit the pediatric orthodontist, your child will get a full assessment of their teeth and jaw alignment. They may have your child open and close their jaws to see if the TMJ clicks (it’s the main hinge where the lower jaw attaches to the skull). X-rays or digital scans may be taken as well. This gives them an idea of where the adult teeth are in relation to their milk teeth equivalents, and this will also be a part of your child’s treatment plan.
Needing braces is a very common thing, and as many as 50-70% of kids need braces. Very few kids are born and raised with perfect teeth. So if you hear that your child needs braces, you are in good company.
Is it worth it to buy my kid braces? Best child dentist near me
It is absolutely worth it to get braces for your child. They may seem expensive at the time, but it is a worthwhile investment in your child’s dental health, and their overall health. They help make sure your child’s teeth are properly aligned and that means that they wear well so your child doesn’t have early enamel wear that can lead to decay or cracking. Healthier teeth mean less gum disease as well, since they are easier to brush and floss.
Your child will have straighter teeth and that can help improve their speech patterns so they are more easily understood, and they have more confidence. Kids can struggle with their confidence as it is, so having a great looking smile and clear speech can be a big confidence boost.
Plus, when your child has teeth that meet correctly, they can chew food properly and that helps your child’s digestion which can also lead to better health from well absorbed nutrients. A pediatric orthodontist has experience working with kids’ teeth and jaws, and they are a perfect addition to your child’s health care team. So why not book an appointment online today and learn more?
Reference:
Bakhurji, E. A., Al-Saif, H. M., Al-Shehri, M. A., Al-Ghamdi, K. M., & Hassan, M. M. (2021). Infant Oral healthcare and Anticipatory Guidance Practices among Dentists in a Pediatric Care Shortage Area. International journal of dentistry, 2021, 6645279. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6645279