Milk teeth usually start to appear at six months of age. At approximately 3 years of age, the tooth eruption is completed. In this period, there are 20 milk teeth in the mouth. Milk teeth are more susceptible to wear and tear due to structural differences.
When they reach 6 years of age, the teeth start to leave their places to the permanent teeth. This situation continues until the average age of 13 years. This period between the ages of 6 and 13, when both the milk teeth and the permanent teeth are in the mouth, is called the mixed dentition period. In this period, the cavities present in the milk tooth, negatively affect the health of the new permanent teeth.
Treatment of milk teeth:
Cavities present in dairy teeth; filling, amputation, canal treatment and tooth extraction. Proper treatment of dairy teeth does not affect permanent teeth. But cavities and uncommon inflammatory conditions in untreated milk teeth affect permanent teeth.
Protective Dentistry:
In addition to treatment of tooth decay, treatment of oral and dental health is very important. This can be achieved by having a toothbrushing habit to the child, by reducing the number of snacks, by using special oral care products when the dentist deems necessary, and by the professional application of preventive dentistry. Protective dentistry treatments such as fissure covering and topical fluoride applications are useful and necessary for the prevention of caries as well as children with high risk of decay.
General Anesthesia And Tooth Treatment Under Sedation:
Pain caused by tooth decay can reach very serious consequences in children. Weight loss and indirect development problems can occur in children due to increased pain, especially when eating. Tooth decay, which leads to problems that can also affect the success of school children, needs to be treated as early as possible. Therefore; in children with physical or mental disabilities it is appropriate to have dental treatments under general anesthesia in young children where it is not possible to establish adequate communication despite the many dental treatments that have to be done in children who have had a bad experience and are afraid of being convinced of treatment. General anesthesia is the process by which an anesthesiologist with expertise in this area performs a controlled, unconscious and painless operation of the patient.
In which situations is general anesthesia preferred in dentistry?
• In patients with mental disabilities
• Patients with physical disability that can negatively affect treatment
• In fearful and anxious patients
• Unacceptable age for treatment in young children
• For special surgical procedures
How safe is dental treatment under general anesthesia?
With modern anesthesia techniques and experienced anesthesia team, the risk is very low. Performing minor operative procedures, such as dental treatment, under general anesthesia is not a common risk, especially for healthy individuals without any systemic disease.