Pedodontics, a Latin word meaning "children's teeth," means "children's teeth." Pedodontics (Pediatric Dentistry) is the healthy protection and treatment of children's primary and permanent teeth between the ages of 0 and 12.

Deciduous teeth usually begin to erupt around the sixth month after birth, and a total of 20 deciduous teeth are completed by the age of 2.5. Primary teeth exhibit structural and anatomical differences compared to permanent teeth, making them more susceptible to decay and wear. While the primary teeth's primary function is primarily nutritional, they also serve speech, aesthetic purposes, and space-holding functions for subsequent permanent teeth. Decayed primary teeth can cause pain during feeding and, consequently, malnutrition. Furthermore, decayed primary teeth can lose size and become insufficient to provide adequate space for permanent teeth. This can lead to future problems with space.

Permanent teeth begin to erupt around the age of 6, and during this period, until the age of 12, both primary and permanent teeth are present in the oral cavity. During this mixed dentition period, if decayed primary teeth are present in the oral environment, they pose a risk of decay for permanent teeth. Furthermore, the treatment of newly erupted permanent teeth can differ from that of mature permanent teeth, requiring specialized expertise. A pediatric dentist monitors children's oral and dental health, as well as their jaw and facial development, starting from infancy, and performs all preventive and therapeutic treatments and protective procedures as needed.

Who is a pediatric dentist?

Dentists who complete a five-year undergraduate degree in a faculty of dentistry and then complete a specialist or doctoral degree in the Department of Pedodontics within the Faculty of Dentistry's Clinical Sciences are called pediatric dentists.

What Do Pedodontists Do?

1. They prevent children from developing dental phobia and turn dental treatment into an enjoyable experience.
2. They identify a child's risk group for decay and develop personalized preventive programs. Informs both the child and the family about oral and dental care in children.
3. Regulates the child's eating habits.
4. Develops and implements preventive practices that can be implemented to prevent tooth decay (fissure sealants, fluoride applications).
5. Performs restorative and endodontic treatments for primary and young permanent teeth. (Fillings, root canal treatments, amputations).
6. Monitors the regular development of the child's jaw and teeth.
7. Performs preventive orthodontic treatments.
8. Provides treatments to stop bad oral habits (thumb sucking, nail biting, pencil biting, etc.).
9. Extracts primary teeth and, if necessary, provides space maintainers and child prosthetics.
10. Carries out follow-up and treatment for children who have experienced dental trauma.
11. Performs dental treatments for children requiring special care in the operating room under sedation or general anesthesia.