PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
Overview
Paediatric Dentistry is the specialty that provides comprehensive oral health care for children from birth to adolescence. Paediatric Dentists undergo 3 years post graduate specialty training to equip them to manage the dental needs of children in relation to prevention, treatment, behavioural management and development.
Paediatric Dentists are trained to manage complex treatment, and children not easily managed by general practitioners or Oral Health Therapists.
NDC's Paediatric Dentists provide the following services for children
- fillings and extractions
- root canal treatment of primary teeth and crowns
- preventive services: sealants, flouride therapy
- orthodontics in the early mixed dentition
- management of traumatic injuries to primary teeth
- caries risk assesment
- dental treatment for children with special needs
- dental treatment for very young and apprehensive children
- infant oral health services
Painless Dentistry
Pain control is important in children. Anxiety heightens the pain response. In NDC we offer treatment under local or general anaesthesia, in a child friendly environment.
Local anaesthesia is administered using a computer controlled delivery system which has the following advantages:
- fine injection needles - less pain on puncture of skin
- no fear-provoking equipment like bulky syringes
- guaranteed slow delivery of anaesthetic, which reduces sudden stretching of tissues and pain
Dental treatment under general anaesthesia is available for
- very young children
- very anxious children
- children with multiple treatment needs
- special needs children
Children are admitted to NDC's Day Surgery suite and discharged the same day after treatment. Children with medical conditions may need admission into KKWCH where they are discharged 1 day later after treatment.
Infant Oral Health Clinic at NDC
Paediatric Dentists provide services targeted at mothers and their infants in the Infant Oral Health Clinic.
Our Paediatric Dentists:
- assess the risk of infants developing severe early childhood caries and the risk of mothers passing this disease to their infants
- develop preventive programs and closely follow up infants at risk
- monitor the oral development of infants in relation to teething, oral habits
- teach parents appropriate feeding and oral hygiene practices for their infants