Pediatric dentists specialize in dental care for children ranging from infants to teenagers. But why take your child to a pediatric dentist instead of to the dentist that you’re currently going to? Here are just a few reasons why it might be a good idea to look at pediatric dentists with practices near you.

They Have Specialized Training

Because pediatric dentists specialize in caring for children’s teeth, they are better equipped to handle the problems that often plague children’s mouths, such as cavities, tooth decay, over-retained baby teeth, and in the case of older children and teenagers, wisdom teeth. They are also qualified to administer sedation to young patients undergoing more intensive dental treatments. These dentists, in fact, must spend two to three years in additional training after completing four years’ worth of dental schooling in order to practice pediatric dentistry, focusing on child psychology, growth, and development

They Are Experienced in Calming Children

Because pediatric dentists see and work with children on a daily basis, they are highly familiar with the concerns that children have when coming to the dentist and can tailor their approach to dental care to these concerns. They have more experience than traditional dentists have in calming children and helping them feel comfortable in the dentist’s chair and will look for especially child-friendly dental hygienists to staff their offices with.

They Can Help with Habit Counseling

Habits such as thumb sucking and teeth grinding are common in children, and if you’re having trouble getting your child to break these habits, a pediatric dentist can help. Sometimes sitting down with your child and a pediatric dentist, and having the dentist teach about the importance of breaking teeth-harming habits, will be the push your child needs to nix the habit for good.

They Tailor Dental Care to Your Child’s Development

Pediatric dentists are especially mindful of how to instill healthy dental habits early on for life-long dental health, what preventative care needs to be taken in adolescence, and so forth. For example, a child’s first view visits to the dentist might be geared more toward teaching young children how to properly care for teeth and gums, while focus might then shift to promoting healthy development of adult teeth, and eventually fine-tuning healthy dental hygiene practices.

They Help Make Dental Care Fun

Pediatric dentists have the unique opportunity to build their offices around the patients that they most often see, meaning their offices are often more colorful and may feature decor with a fun theme like aquatic life or outer space. Waiting areas will also often feature more fun options for children waiting for their visit with the dentist. We at Surprise Pediatric Dentistry have a fun build-in playset in our waiting room for young children, as well as fun tree-themed decor for them to admire. All things considered, your pediatric dentist’s office might actually become a place that your child actually looks forward to paying a visit to.