People find it difficult to visit a dentist; however, when kids are in need of dental service, the experience can be even scarier. Kids are scared of all the tools, sounds and unfamiliar faces of the dentists. The only thing that can entice them is when the environment presents itself as a safe and fun place. It is therefore vital to choose a dentist who best suits your child’s needs. The question is how do you know which dentist is the best for your kid? Perhaps the first decision could be sending your child to a general dentist or a pediatric dentist. Why? In this article, we are going to talk about the difference between regular and pediatric dentist.
Differences Between A Regular And Pediatric Dentist
Both pediatric and regular dentists are in the best position to offer dental care to children, the only difference which separates them lies in the level of their experience and training that they need to complete. It is mandated for both of them to obtain a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) after their undergraduate degree. There areas of specialization after obtaining a DDS or DMD account for the significant difference that exists between them.
Regular Dentist
Regular dentist, they can also be called general dentists that specialize in treating adults, and they focus more on issues hovering around permanent teeth. Their duty is to diagnose, prevent and treat problems with adult teeth, including general health needs. In addition to this, they are licensed to take care of children, even though they have not undergone additional training to specialize in child dentistry. Some of the common treatments which are handled by regular dentists are listed below:
- Teeth Cleanings
- Root canals
- Fillings
- Sealants
- Crowns and bridges
- Veneers
- Gum disease care
- Dental implants
- Preventative education on oral health
- Disease prevention
- Interpreting X-rays
Pediatric Dentists
These are the dentists that are trained specially to work with a child’s developing teeth and jaw, child behavior, physical growth, and development, as well as for children with special needs. They specialize in cases such as tooth decay and tooth placement, crowding, crooked teeth, and missing teeth. Children are highly vulnerable to tooth decay as a result of this; pediatric dentists are in the best position to treat this type of dental issues before it radiates to affecting permanent teeth. Below are some of their typical treatments;
- Teeth Cleanings
- Sealants
- Fluoride
- Interpreting X-rays
- Filling cavities
- Removing teeth
- Fixing broken teeth
- Identifying and addressing spacing issues
- Helping break bad habits
Reason for choosing a Pediatric Dentist
The fact known to us is that it could be a difficult task to deal with a child’s anxiety, especially when it comes to visiting a dentist. Therefore, when you are selecting dentist for kids, the choice of a pediatric dentist instead of a regular dentist can be the key to facilitating this necessary task. By their specialized training, pediatric dentists are often better equipped to solve specific problems of children. They probably have more experience in dealing with issues related to the oral health of children and have offices that are designed so that the visit to the dentist is pleasant, exciting and not threatening. They also make use of smaller tools which make it more comfortable for children to receive better care.
Tips For Choosing Dentist For Kids
At first, you need to schedule a time to visit the office and get to meet the staff and doctors. Many of the dentist mostly pediatric dentists, who have immense knowledge when it comes to child’s anxiety and apprehensions, will be happy to take you and your child around the office and you will be allowed to see the environment and meet the doctors before selecting a practice.
Learn more about the doctor’s training and specialist certificates as an addendum to the specialized certification for pediatric dentists; dentists are also permitted to seek board certification from the board supervising their particular area of dentistry (general dentistry or pediatric dentistry). Before a dentist can be board certified, a dentist must demonstrate knowledge and expertise beyond those other dentists in his area.
Do not forget to ask for recommendations. Both regular and pediatric dentist tend to receive mouth-mouth convincing recommendations. You can invite friends and family with children to recommend you choose dentists in your area with the best reputation.
“If you’re looking for dentists in Delhi, The Dental Roots is probably the best choice. They are confident in providing the patients with gold standard care in a compassionate, gentle and friendly environment. You can call their office or fill out an online appointment schedule form, or in the event that you are searching online, you can request for an office tour.”
