Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric Dentistry or Pedodontics is defined as the practice and teaching of comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health care of child from birth through adolescence. It is constructed to include care for special patients who demonstrate mental, physical, or emotional problems – Stewart, Barber, Troutman and Wei in 1982

Pediatric Dentistry is an age defined specialty that provides both primary and specialty, comprehensive, preventive and therapeutic oral health for infants and children through adolescence including those with special health care needs – America Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in 2006

Father of Pediatric Dentistry: Robert Bunon (1702-1748)

Pediatric Dentistry is a branch of Dentistry which mainly deals with Oral health of Children from Birth to Adolescence. It deals with the Preventive, Interceptive and Corrective aspects of Dental treatment in Children. Pediatric Dentists should not only have knowledge about Treatment but also have to learn how to deal with children as they are highly un cooperative, this is done by having sufficient knowledge about Child Psychology. Pedodontists specialize in the care of "special needs" patients, such as people with cerebral palsy, mental retardation and autism.

Present concept in pediatric dentistry is “Preservation and Concentrating on Minimal Invasion”

Pedodontists should have a Clinic design which will make the Dental Visit experience pleasant one for the child. This aspect is also dealt in Pediatric Dentistry. A Pedodontist should have knowledge about Primary teeth and permanent teeth the Stages of Growth and development which will help in making a proper Treatment Plan.

• 1.Morphology of Decidious Teeth – This is the most basic and most important topic to be learnt inPedodontics
• 2.Case History, Examination, Treatment Planning
• 3.Growth and Development
• 4.Development of Occlusion
• 5.Psychological Behaviour
• 6.Behaviour Management in Pediatric Dentistry
• 7.Preventive and Interceptive Othodontics – Should be learnt as the 2 mentioned Orthodontic treatments are rendered in mixed dentition period, which comes under pediatrics.
• 8.Oral Habits
• 9.Dental Caries
• 10.Pediatric operative Dentistry
• 11.Fluorides
• 12.Trauma and Management
• 13.Child Abuse and Management
• 14.Dental management of Handicapped Children
• 15.Radiology in Pediatric Dentistry
• 16.Oral Surgical Consideration in Children
• 17.Local Anesthesia Techniques in Children
• 18.Conscious Sedation and General Anesthesia in Children
• 19.Prosthodontic Considerations
• 20.Gingival and Periodontal Diseases
• 21.Dental Auxiliaries
• 22.Practice management
• 23.General Epidemiology
• Medical Emergencies in Dental Clinic

History of Pediatric Dentistry or Pedodontics:

1743 – Robert Bunon for the first time published a book on the length of dental problems during childhood named – “Essay sur les Maladies des Dentes”

1745 – Robert Bunon emphasized the connection between the diet and health of the pregnant mother and the mineralization of her child’s teeth. And was given the title of “The father of children’s dentistry”

1780- Greenwood started taking reduced fees to children, and solely concentrated his practice on giving Dental care for Children.

1800 – C.F. Delabarre treated orphanage children in France. This was the first regular program for children.

1851 – AF Talma proposed a dental care program to children who was a dentist to King Leopold I of Belgium, who conducted regular dental check ups for children in the age group of 5-12 years.

1898 – Dr. Marinus Kjaer a private dental practitioner performed weekly screenings in school children in a Public school in Svendborg of Denmark.

1902 – The First Municipal Dental Clinic was opened for Children in Strasbourg, which lead way to the development of many dental clinics for children in many other countries.

1947 - American Academy of Pedodontics is founded

1967 - International Symposium on Child Dental Health is conducted at London Hospital Medical College

The Main difference between Adult Dentistry and Dentistry in Children can be explained in many points as follows:

• Physical – Children are physically very different from adults they are very fragile and the medications should be carefully reviewed before administering to the patients.
• Emotional and Psychological – They have fear and are very scared to the fact of getting separated from their parents and a fear of dentists, which should be dealt with carefully.
• Consideration of Behaviour: Nagging, Shouting, Crying should be taken into consideration and dealt with accordingly to each patient.
• Dentist—Patient relationship: In children trust plays a very important as a Dentist we should first concentrate on gaining the trust of the child by making a good Dentist patient relationship. This will help in their behavior and their reactions towards treatment.
• Parent-Dentist relationship: We should also have a good rapport with the Parent as Children listen to their parents than to us and will have a safe feeling when parents are around them during treatment.