Some of the preventive practices included in pediatric dental treatments performed by a pedodontist; fissure sealant, fluoride application, remineralization treatment and space maintainer applications.
Fissure Sealant Application
Permanent first molars, which erupt into the mouth at the age of 6, are the teeth most prone to decay. Because at this age, children have not yet developed the habit of maintaining oral hygiene and brushing their teeth. For this reason, first molars, which are the first permanent teeth to erupt into the mouth, are the teeth that decay the earliest, and early application of fissure sealants is very important to prevent the decay of these teeth.
This material, called ‘fissure sealant’, is applied in a thin layer to the chewing surface of these teeth and prevents bacterial accumulation. At the same time, it protects these teeth against caries for many years by releasing fluoride. Over the years, the fissure sealant wears away with chewing and saliva and disappears. If a child has established brushing habits at an older age, these teeth will be preserved in a healthy way in the mouth.
Fluoride Application
Fluoride application to both milk teeth and permanent teeth in children during the milk and mixed dentition period protects the teeth against caries and makes them resistant to external factors. In our clinic, we apply topical fluoride in the form of gel or paste starting from the age of three, and thanks to this application, we make the teeth resistant to bacteria.
Fluoride application can be repeated every six months until the age of 12-13 when all permanent teeth erupt. After applying topical fluoride to the teeth, you should not eat or drink anything for 1 hour. If fluoride application is done consciously, contrary to popular belief, it does not cause any harm to teeth or systemic health.
Remineralization Application
Due to lack of oral hygiene in children, white opaque chalky lesions may occur on the front surfaces of the teeth. The cause of these lesions is mineral loss in tooth enamel. These lesions, which occur as a result of demineralization, may become permanent if left untreated for years. These lesions, which create aesthetic concerns, also cause teeth to be more prone to caries. In our clinic, we perform remineralization treatment for these lesions with a material called ICON.
Sweat Trapping Apparatus
Milk teeth take the place in the mouth of the permanent teeth that will come from below. If the milk teeth, which act as space maintainers, fall out early due to decay or have to be removed by the physician, the space in that area must be protected with a ‘space maintainer appliance’. If the gap is not maintained, the rear teeth will slide forward, closing this gap and preventing the permanent tooth from below from erupting in the correct position.
Due to this sliding movement from back to front, called mesialization, the permanent tooth that should come from below may erupt in a different position, and as a result, various crowding and space constraints may occur. To prevent all these, the location of the baby tooth that falls out prematurely must be protected.
