Smart Pediatric Dentistry: A New Exciting Way to Deliver Dental Procedures

Pediatric dentistry is often difficult to implement because children are difficult to control and monitor during dental procedures.

To make things easier, a growing number of clinicians and researchers have started paying attention to “smart pediatric dentistry,” which involves smart techniques and tools to help deliver dental services to children with less suffering and inconvenience.

The need for this new trend has increased because treating children with dental issues differs significantly from older age groups. Newborns, for example, cannot accurately express what they are experiencing, and this increases the need for doctors with more expertise and practical experience in using smart applications to provide services such as dental implants in Turkey.

What is Smart Pediatric Dentistry?

The term smart pediatric dentistry refers to the use of smart or digital apps and devices to enrich and facilitate children's experience during dental procedures. Dentists are using various ways to leverage new smart technologies in their practice to provide better and more comfortable treatment experiences for children and their parents. There is also a popular clinic in Utah in the United States called “Smart Pediatric Dentistry”.

The field of pediatric dentistry focuses on treating issues that occur in the teeth, jawbones, and gums of newborns and older children. The term “pediatric dentistry” first appeared in 1909, when some American doctors began offering pediatric dental services in the United States. This was an unprecedented event that had never happened before. Some of these doctors published a book on pediatric dental treatments in 1925.

The American Dental Association quickly recognized pediatric dentistry and mandated a bachelor's degree in oral and maxillofacial surgery, followed by a specialized master's degree in pediatric dentistry for any doctor seeking a recognized specialty in this branch of dentistry.

It is worth noting that there are other subspecialties related to pediatric dentistry, such as pediatric dental therapies, pediatric oral injuries, and pediatric anesthesiology.

More recently, two U.S. organizations have become responsible for regulating the specialty: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD).

The new smart pediatric dentistry is still the subject of debate among experts who emphasize the importance of visiting the dentist's office as soon as the first tooth appears to keep children's teeth healthy without causing a major impact on their quality of life.

Benefits of Smart Pediatric Dentistry

Smart pediatric dentistry has many benefits and advantages for dentists and children, here are some of them:

• It provides a better treatment experience with more comfort and less anxiety for children and their parents.Makes the treatment process less difficult for the dentist and less demanding, especially when dealing with less cooperative children.
• Integrates new technologies that make it easier for the dentist to carry out different scanning and treatment procedures.
• Adds a sense of excitement and entertainment to the whole treatment process.

Applications of Smart Pediatric Dentistry

Smart technology has different roles to play in the provision of dental services according to a study. Some of the digital applications that doctors can use in their offices include:

Distractions by Storytelling

Its very easy to find smart applications and games that provide animated stories and entertaining activities to distract the attention of children during dental procedures. Some dentists also use iPads, large TV screens, and interactive interfaces to encourage children and leave a positive impression in their minds about visiting the dentists office.

Digital Scanners

Dentists often find themselves in a difficult situation when asking children to cooperate during scanning and screening tests. Thankfully, there are new digital scanners that can create a more convenient and less worrisome experience for children. These scanners decrease the visit time of the child and facilitate the installment of dental braces and crowns for children.

Digital Anesthetic Delivery Systems

The newer local anesthetic delivery systems and techniques have changed the stereotypical idea about dental anesthesia, especially for children. The painful, troublesome syringes of local anesthetics are no longer needed as new systems take their role in many dental clinics. Some of these systems use vibrations to prevent pain.

Besides these anesthetic systems, a recent study described a new material that can contribute to the foundation of smart pediatric dentistry called "silver diammine fluoride (SDF)". According to the researchers, this material can be effective in preventing and arresting caries in children during pandemics such as Covid 19.

Why Pediatric Dentistry Is Important?

Dental problems vary among children. This reinforces the importance of pediatric dentistry in preventing, diagnosing, and treating dental problems among this age group. The impotence of pediatric dentistry appears in the following points:

• Refers patients to undergo x-rays and other diagnostic tests to identify the exact nature of the conditions they have and to draw up a proper treatment plan.
• Educates parents about the best ways to deal with childrens teeth and the correct feeding pattern in their early years through newsletters, courses, or conferences.
• Implements surgical intervention if necessary to treat structural problems of soft tissues, jawbones, and teeth.
• Handles children gently and uses appropriate anesthesia doses for them, which requires special steps compared to the elderly.
• Help diagnose jaw alignment issues and use orthodontic appliances to treat them.
• Provides urgent intervention for children with severe dental pain.
• Monitors the development and growth of teeth and jaws in children.
• Solves dental issues in children with special needs.

Problems addressed by smart pediatric dentistry

Pediatric dentistry treats many issues in children and adolescents, some of which are listed below:

Tooth decay

Tooth decay or cavities are one of the most common dental issues among children and fall under what is known as “endodontics”. In fact, most children who visit the dentist do so because of the pain associated with tooth decay. As the dentist removes the decayed part of the tooth and replaces it with a filling, the child may cry and feel anxious. The use of gadgets such as iPads or game consoles may distract the child and make the treatment go more smoothly.

Jaw misalignment

Dental malocclusion or misalignment is a common issue that pediatric dentists treat. It occurs when the teeth in the upper jaw fail to align properly with the teeth in the lower jaw. It is important that there are not large spaces between the teeth in the jaws. The edges between the teeth and molars in the jaws should be consistent. Causes of misaligned jaws include the following:

• Hormonal disorders: Hormonal disorders in children can lead to misaligned teeth, especially growth hormone issues.
• Presence of milk teeth: If milk teeth (deciduous teeth) remain in the mouth for a long time, it can cause issues with the development of permanent teeth in the future.
• Genetic factors: Genetics play a role in determining the size, number, and shape of a person's teeth, and experts attribute the possibility of misaligned teeth to genetics in many cases.
• Early loss of temporary teeth: If a child loses temporary teeth early, it can lead to an issue with the jawbone and cause misalignment of the teeth.
• Dental abnormalities: Sometimes permanent teeth do not grow and remain in the area of the jawbone, affecting the shape of the teeth in the end.
• Finger sucking: The habit of sucking fingers is one of the causes of misaligned teeth, especially if it continues after the age of six or after the growth of permanent teeth, and may cause the appearance of crooked teeth, and some experts point to bottle feeding as a cause of this habit, while others attribute it to some psychological factors.
• Tumors: If a tumor grows in the gums, it can lead to the formation of abnormal cells, affecting the nature and shape of the teeth.

Dental Injuries in Children

Children in their early years love to move and play all the time, so many of them may break their teeth as a result of accidents or falls, and if this happens, it will require a visit to a specialized treatment center to assess the situation and take the appropriate measures.

Orthodontics for children

Some children suffer from dental issues due to genetic factors, including crooked or protruding teeth, and the age period between eight and fourteen is considered the appropriate age to undergo orthodontic treatment, as during this period most teeth and molars in children grow and become visible.

Doctors prefer to perform orthodontic treatment at an early age because this is more effective than later years, as the ability to reshape the teeth becomes easier, and the treatment does not need a lot of time because the child is still growing. If you wait until the end of adolescence, the process may become more difficult and you may need to pay extra for the cost of dental implants in Turkey.

Signs that indicate the need for orthodontic treatment in children include the following:

• The shape of the teeth and jaws is not symmetrical with the rest of the child's face.
• Trouble opening or closing the jaw, and parents may hear abnormal sounds coming from their child's mouth.
• Teeth in abnormal positions.
• Early tooth loss.
• The child continues to suck on one or two fingers.
• The child breathes only through the mouth or has difficulty chewing food.

How can parents take care of their child's braces?

If a child undergoes orthodontic surgery, specialists usually advise parents to keep the following in mind:

• Brush the back and front teeth properly to help prevent plaque from forming over the braces.
• Be patient when teaching your child how to floss.
• Avoid giving children solid foods, such as nuts, and teach them not to open metal cans with their teeth.
• Teach children not to bite into crayons or pencils with their teeth as this can affect their braces.
• The protrusion of the orthodontic wire can be removed if it is painful or harmful to the lining of the cheek.
• It is important to contact a professional if any issues arise.

Bottom line

Smart pediatric dentistry has gained more attention recently as more dentists and parents look for ways to alleviate children's discomfort and anxiety associated with visiting dentists or dental clinics. A “smart” dental clinic means more emphasis on using digital entertainment devices and advanced equipment to change the perception of children when they receive dental treatments, including orthodontics.

International clinics are keen to provide smart dentistry services for children and seek to explore the idea of using digital or smart devices to raise the quality of services provided to children. You can get in touch with us immediately using the button below to explore our dental services.

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