Your child’s first teeth (also called primary or baby teeth) fulfill a vital role in allowing your child to chew and speak properly and to reserve the space for the eruption of permanent teeth. Daily care at home and regular visits to the dentist for hygiene maintenance to monitor the health and development of your child’s mouth should give them the start they need to set them on the path to a lifetime of good oral health.
Should your child develop early childhood cavities, without treatment they may develop toothache, infection and dental abscess which could result in early tooth loss which can compromise the development of a child’s mouth and face. In some cases early diagnosis of orthodontic problems can be made and early intervention can be taken. This can result in reduced future orthodontic treatment being required and improved end results.
It is a far more positive experience for a child to come to the dentist for a regular exam where they learn the lessons of good oral health rather than their first experience being for required treatment which may have been avoidable and prove distressing.
We encourage you to bring your child in early so that they may experience going to the dentist as a positive event.
Fissure Sealants
Fissures are the grooves that naturally occur on the biting surfaces of the teeth predominantly in the molars and pre-molars or grinding teeth. Some fissures are very deep and narrow and toothbrush bristles are unable to remove the food and plaque which if left cause decay. It must be noted that when a tooth first erupts it is not fully mature and hence more susceptible to decay. An unsealed fissure is 6.5 times more likely to develop decay and excessively deep, narrow fissures even more so.
Fissure seals are recommended as a preventative treatment. Treatment is painless and non-invasive, with a coat of composite resin applied to the cleaned fissures in the tooth. This resin forms a physical barrier against food, bacteria and plaque acids. If detected very early, tooth decay can sometimes be halted and treated with a fissure sealant instead of ongoing decay leading to a full restoration.