Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric Dentistry is the area of ​​dentistry dedicated to the oral health of babies, children and adolescents. Its main objective is to carry out preventive but also curative treatments so that the child reaches adulthood with a healthy, aesthetic and functional mouth.

At what age and how often should a child see a dentist?
The first Pediatric Dentistry appointment should be performed when the first temporary (or “milk”) teeth erupt. Or at most, until the child completes the first year of life, in order to establish a preventive oral health program and intercept habits that may be harmful. Ideally, when there is good oral health, the child should be seen every six months. In situations of high caries risk, this frequency should be reduced to three-month intervals.

At what age do the first teeth appear and when are the teeth complete?
On average, the eruption of the first teeth starts between 6 and 8 months of age, with girls generally being earlier; between 2 and a half and 3 years of age the 20 temporary teeth will already be present in the oral cavity. Permanent or definitive dentition begins between 5 and 7 years of age and may consist of 32 teeth, if the third molars (wisdom) erupt, which does not always occur. Eruption earlier or later is not necessarily related to pathology; however, if the child does not present any teeth after completing 1 year of life, he/she should be observed in the pediatric dentistry consultation.

What complaints may be related to the eruption of teeth and how can the child be helped?
The most common symptoms are: reddened gums, increased salivation, loss of appetite and change in nutritional habits, anxiety, difficulty sleeping. If the child has fever, vomiting or diarrhea, they should be consulted by their treating physician as there may be another underlying cause. The child's discomfort can be relieved by wiping the mouth 2-3 times a day with a wet gauze or using commercially available teethers and gels.

What is a crack sealant and what is it used for?
A fissure sealant is a kind of “varnish” that is applied to the cracked surface of healthy teeth with the aim of preventing the appearance of dental caries lesions. It is an effective resource in terms of prevention, however its application must be based on the assessment of the risk of caries, and must not be an isolated measure but rather integrated into a broader prevention program. As a rule, the application of fissure sealant is indicated in the first and second definitive molars, as well as in the premolars, whose eruption period varies between 5-8 years and 11-14 years, respectively. Reapplication is indicated if there is partial or total loss of the sealant, maximizing its effectiveness.