Importance of Baby Teeth

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When baby teeth are lost at an early stage, the permanent teeth can erupt and drift into the empty space. This creates a space problem when the other adult teeth do come out. Hence the teeth erupt crooked or overlap and cause crowding. That’s why starting infants off with good oral care can help protect their teeth and prevent problems in the future.

First Dental Visit

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Your child’s first Dentist examine should be within 6 months after the first tooth comes in and no later than their 1^st birthday. A dental visit at an early age for a ‘check-up’ and further advice from your dentist is important for the oral health and well-being of your child. Besides checking for tooth decay and any other problems, your dentist can inform you about good oral hygiene habits as well as assess if there are any adverse habits such as thumb sucking or nursing bottle caries.

Starting dental visits at an early age will help the child feel more relaxed at consequent visits.

Orthodontic Treatment

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Orthodontic treatment is a method of straightening or moving teeth, mostly by means of ‘braces’ to help improve how a patient looks and uses their teeth.  The best time for treatment is generally during childhood, but with new developments, more and more adults are able to straighten and improve their appearance without the wires and brackets

The need for orthodontic treatment is determined more by the number of adult teeth present then by the age of the patient. Therefore it is important to visit your dentist to evaluate if there is a need for treatment or not.