The importance of good oral health cannot be overstated. Many parents have questions about when they should start taking their children to visit the dentist. Most oral health professionals believe that parents should take their children in for their first dental visit even before their first tooth comes in, and definitely by their first birthday. When looking for a pediatric orthodontist, you’re looking for someone who understands the special needs that children have when it comes to caring for their teeth. A good pediatric orthodontist knows that your children are not small adults. Their teeth are not just a smaller version of what adults have. To the contrary, there are very specific needs that children have. A good pediatric orthodontist will be able to address these.
You want your pediatric dentist to have the right training. There’s nothing wrong with talking to friends and family members to get recommendations from them as these may start you out on the right path. Another good place to go to for recommendations is to talk to your pediatrician. When talking to the orthodontist that’s going to be helping your children, be very specific in the questions that you ask. Understand that all dentist go through the same basic training. You want the orthodontist working with your child to have training that specifically prepares them for working with children. You want them to have multiple years of residency training with babies, kids, and teenagers. If your children have special needs, you want your orthodontist to take those into consideration as well.
Talk to your orthodontist about what care they’re going to provide. Remember, this individual is responsible for your children’s teeth from the time the first tooth comes in until they are adults. So this means that you want them to perform oral exams on your children and search for cavities from the very first tooth on.
The orthodontist you visit should understand how to repair the most common tooth defects or tooth injuries that children and teenagers have. However, you’re not simply looking for someone who can repair your child’s teeth when they are damaged. You’re looking for someone who can help your children learn how to take better care of their own teeth. This means that the orthodontist you find should be a good communicator. They should be someone who your children are comfortable with. They should understand the challenges that children face when it comes to oral health and should be able to provide actionable solutions for the benefit of you and your family.
Take some time to look at the atmosphere of the orthodontic clinic where you will be bringing your children. Ask yourself, if I was a child, would I feel comfortable here? Is the office friendly for children? Does your dentist respond well if your child is uncomfortable, crying, or scared?
Finding a good pediatric orthodontist is a challenge. When you find one, hold on to them because they will provide your children with the oral health care they need. Contact us today at Unique Orthodontics and schedule your consultation with our pediatric orthodontist! Our team proudly serves California with offices in Clovis, Fresno, and Madera, and we have an office in Tulare opening soon!
