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Dentistry for Children in Warriewood is designed to achieve and maintain your child’s oral health from the start. We also aim to make your little one feel comfortable at the dentist’s and at ease with our fun and compassionate team. They should look forward to their check-ups and not be afraid!
By starting dentistry early and keeping the associations with dental care positive, we hope to instil a lifetime of healthy habits in your child, mitigating the risk of dental phobia in adulthood.
Dental phobia is concerning because it keeps some adults out of the dental chair for years and even decades. Too often, the phobia results from an incident in childhood, a dentist or team member who was not patient or didn’t take time to foster a relationship with the child.
At United Dental Clinic, we talk to children in age-appropriate language and foster their curiosity. As they learn to use a spoon, toddle across the room, and count to three… we want to include caring for their teeth among these critical milestones.
Children’s Dental Services in the Sydney Area
According to the Australian Dental Association, Dentistry for Children should begin before their first birthday or shortly after you notice the first tooth erupting from the gum. Teething can be painful for your little one, but our dentists can provide tips and advice to help your child through teething and other important milestones.
Some patients believe that a child does not need to see a Children’s Dentist until all their teeth erupt. However, dental care is about more than teeth! Your child’s dentist monitors how teeth erupt and how the jaw develops to accommodate these teeth and the surrounding tissues—all of which play an essential role in future oral health.
By monitoring your child’s oral development early, the dentist can intervene before potential or emerging issues become problems that must be solved or conditions requiring treatment and reversal.
Proper oral development plays a critical role in the following:
- Speech development
- Proper breathing
- Chewing
- Sucking ability
- Nutrition intake
The team at United Dental Clinic wants to ensure your child has the best head start and that there are no oral impediments standing in their way—tongue ties, low muscle tone to hamper feeding or other potential issues.
Your Child’s First Dental Visit
We design your child’s first dental visit to feel like meeting new friends. Our team will make them feel comfortable and ensure they have fun in the dental clinic. They’ll enjoy a turn in the dental chair and a session of teeth counting, and the dentist will chart how their teeth are coming in and the state of their gums and surrounding tissues.
We also design your child’s first dental visit to establish a collaborative relationship with you—the parent or caregiver. A team member can show you how to care for your child’s gums before their teeth erupt and then how to care for the teeth once they start coming in. We’ll advise on thumb sucking—when it is time to curb their habit—and pacifier use. A team member or your child’s dentist can also advise on nutrition.
It’s vital to remember that baby teeth are crucial to your child’s future oral health, acting as placeholders for adult teeth. We don’t want them to lose these valuable teeth too soon.
At this visit and every appointment after, we set aside time to answer your questions and address your concerns. The dentist also shares findings with you and always discusses potential treatment options if issues are discovered during your child’s exam.
You can help your child feel confident at the dentist by eliminating words that might seem scary, such as ‘drill’ or ‘needle.’
Together, we can work to make dentistry positive and help your child enjoy a healthy and comfortable smile from the very start.
Dentistry for Children: What to Expect from a Children’s Dental Clinic
We are a family dental clinic, which means we see patients of all ages.
Our Dentistry for Children means full-service care, including:
- Dental check-ups — Dental check-ups help the dentist spot potential or emerging oral health issues early, including tooth decay.
- Teeth cleans (after a certain age) — Teeth cleans lower tooth decay risks and help your child enjoy a comfortable, cavity-free smile.
- Dental fillings — Dental fillings or tooth-coloured fillings treat tooth decay aesthetically.
- Fissure sealants — Sealants provide a barrier between your child’s enamel and the debris and bacteria that cause cavities and other oral health issues.
- Fluoride treatments — Fluoride treatments strengthen tooth enamel by restoring valuable minerals.
- Orthodontic evaluations — We evaluate your child for orthodontics and may talk to you about braces to correct bite issues and other concerns affecting children.
- Children’s oral health education — We like to keep children in the loop and are always excited to educate them about their oral health.
- Emergency dentistry— Dental emergencies happen to people of all ages, but children may be especially prone. We always work to treat children’s dental emergencies as soon as possible, from toothaches to knocked-out teeth in the play yard.
A Family Dental Practice Compared to a Pediatric Dentistry Clinic in Warriewood
We recommend family dentistry because it allows your child to see the same dentist you see. It also makes appointment days more convenient when we can see you and your child on the same day.
Additionally, by choosing a family dentist, your child can keep the same trusted team into adulthood!
A family dentist may offer the same treatments and services as a pediatric dentist in Sydney. You may not need a Children’s Dental Practice specifically to keep your child’s teeth healthy now and into the future!
Are You Looking for a Family Dentist in Northern Beaches?
As a parent or caregiver, you want the best for your child, so establishing dental care early is vital. To learn more about our dental treatments and services for children or if you would like to book your little one’s first visit, a team member is standing by to get you started.
We encourage you to speak to a team member about the Children’s Dental Benefits Schedule and financing through Denticare!