Children’s Dentistry
Fostering optimal oral health habits from an early age is crucial, and a significant aspect of this is ensuring your child feels comfortable with their dental professional. We recommend scheduling your child’s first dental visit by the age of 1. Even if they may not be fully cooperative initially, this initial visit provides an opportunity for them to build trust and rapport with their dentist.
During this early dental visit, our team addresses correct oral hygiene practices, conducts a dietary analysis, and discusses any early concerns, such as dummy use, bottle use, sleep, and airway considerations.
Our aim is to make the experience enjoyable for children, incorporating elements like a ceiling-mounted TV, small rewards, and the chance to join our Cavity Free Club displayed on our wall.
Moreover, we offer bulk billing for eligible children through the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Scheme (CDBS). For more information about CDBS, please refer to our dedicated page.
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Frequently Asked Questions
My kid’s adult tooth is coming through but the baby tooth isn't loose yet. What should I do?
The dreaded double teeth are the source of many a parent’s worried calls to the clinic. Double teeth do not always need intervention. If the baby tooth is loose, we do not usually have to do anything. If that adult tooth is significantly displaced and the baby tooth is not loose at all, we may need to intervene. As always, this would be on a case by case basis and only if really required. Seek your Dental Professional’s expert opinion.
Why do my kid’s adult teeth look yellow?
Interestingly, the adult teeth are meant to yellow. The inner layer of the tooth, dentine, is yellow. The reason the colour is very stark on kids, is because baby teeth are usually very white in appearance because of a reduced dentine layer. So when adult teeth start to erupt, side by side with a baby tooth, the adult tooth can look very yellow in comparison. As always, it is important to still consult your Dental professional because at other times, it could just mean that your child may be due for a Professional Dental clean.
Is it worth filling baby teeth?
The most simple answer is YES! The main role of the baby tooth is to provide a placeholder and guide the positioning for the erupting adult tooth. If a baby tooth is lost too early due to tooth decay or a broken tooth, then the space may be lost and the adult tooth eruption may be compromised or the tooth may become impacted.
If tooth decay is allowed to progress in a baby tooth, it can cause a tooth infection and abscess and in severe cases a facial swelling which can be very dangerous. This infection can also affect the developing adult tooth.
In some instances, if the adult tooth is close to eruption, depending on the age of the child, sometimes fixing the baby tooth may not be required. Your Dental Professional will advise you once they have examined your child and taken any relevant x-rays.
Do baby teeth affect permanent teeth?
Yes, depending on the situation.
The baby teeth position and retention until natural exfoliation is extremely important for positioning and eruption of the adult tooth.
If your child has a lot of dental crowding in their baby teeth, it is likely that they will also have crowding on their adult teeth.
If they have had some trauma on their baby teeth (e.g. knock to the tooth), it may have flow on effects on the adult teeth.
If your child had a lot of tooth decay on their baby teeth, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the adult teeth will be the same. As long as oral hygiene habits and the diet has improved, the adult teeth may be unaffected.
Healthy baby teeth play a vital role in having healthy adult teeth.
What age should I bring my child in for their first dental appointment?
It is important to introduce your child to their Dental professional as early as possible. This is so they get used to the lights and sounds and the people of the Clinic. This ensures that when it’s their turn to have a ride in the chair, they will have a great time. Early check ups result in much better oral health outcomes. Early detection of problems and setting up excellent oral hygiene and diet outcomes make a huge difference in your child’s future oral health.
It is important to have a proper check up at 1 year old. Prior to that, you can bring them in for a quick ride in the chair or to say hi when you’re in for your appointment or a sibling’s appointment.
We are lucky that the generation of children growing up now, have a largely positive experience at the dentist and the whole dental team works hard to make that happen.
What if my kid doesn’t let the dentist have a look?
Don’t be disheartened if they do not let the dentist have a good look around. Kids don’t like staying still for the best part and staying still to have someone stick their fingers in your mouth seems strange for them! Rest assured, with time, nearly every single child gets better and they will become very comfortable at their future dental appointments.
