A toothache can cause sleepless nights and absences from the community, which can then take its toll on a child's mood and performance. It is a good idea to visit the dentist during this less stressful time and have a playful visit to ensure everything is alright.
Why regular dental check-ups for children are important:
- because if the child gets to know the atmosphere and gets to see the dentist before the first problems appear, they will be less afraid when it comes to the need for an intervention
- because a deciduous baby tooth can hurt
- because a deciduous tooth can also cause local and extensive inflammation
- because by detecting malocclusions early enough, appropriate pre-treatment can avoid or significantly shorten the time needed for orthodontic treatment
- because not only the dentition but also the jawbones, jaw joints, and soft tissues are examined. Early detection of abnormalities in these is key to guiding jawbone growth in the right direction and speech therapy.
- because our pediatric dentists work in collaboration with other specialists (e.g., speech therapists, chiropractors, ear, nose, and throat specialists, etc.) as necessary to ensure maximum success in treatment.
What happens in the practice:
- We make every effort to ensure a friendly atmosphere for our youngest patients, even while they are waiting. A children's corner in the waiting room is where children can play while the adults take care of the paperwork.
- The child's sympathy is already established outside the surgery, as the doctor always goes to the waiting room to greet and invite the young patient in.
- When the child sits in the dental chair, the doctor and his smiling assistant show the child the instruments individually. Once everything sounds and looks familiar, the child will not be frightened during the treatment, which makes everyone's job much more manageable.
- If possible—because there are no sore teeth—the first time is just an introduction. The doctor looks into the child's mouth and then discusses with the parent(s) what treatment the child will need. The treatment is explained so that the child can understand what it is about, roughly how long it will take, and how the child can tell the doctor if he or she needs a break.
- We ask parents to help us by attending the appointment with their child prepared and reviewing what they heard in the clinic at home.
- After the intervention, children are rewarded with a gift and, of course, verbal praise. After all this, they always walk out the door smiling and proud and, in most cases, arrive at the next appointment happy and unconvinced.
Unfortunately, many parents today still have vivid memories of bad experiences at the dentist as children, which are very difficult to erase. We are here to ensure that our child patients do not have to experience similar unpleasantness, as we know that this is the basis of their willingness and attitude towards the dentist when they grow up. And it might even be nice for Mum and Dad to sit in the dentist's chair for a quick check-up...
