Dental Problems in Children
Early diagnosis and treatment of dental problems in children may improve and shorten treatment time and prevent more serious problems in the future. To detect these conditions, a dentist visit should be scheduled for up to one year from the eruption of the first tooth. Make sure to regularly visit the dental clinic at least once every six months. The article below will discuss several of the common dental problems in childhood as well as how to treat and prevent them.
Congenital Defects
Congenital dental defects (set of teeth in the mouth) can be the result of a genetic defect (as an individual finding or as part of various syndromes) or as a result of a developmental disorder.
Congenital defects are manifested in the shape of teeth, position of teeth, number of teeth in the mouth, quality of the dental material and timing of the tooth eruption, and they can occur both in the baby teeth ("milk teeth") and in the permanent teeth.
Congenital defects in teeth may cause several problems, such as:
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Unaesthetic appearance -
Speech disorders, malocclusion and chewing disorders -
Increased risk of tooth decay and other problems
These are some of the common congenital defects:
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1Changes in the timing of tooth eruption
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Natal tooth: a condition that refers to an infant who was born with a tooth already erupted. The tooth may be a baby tooth that erupted early or an extra tooth.
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Delayed eruption: a condition where the tooth does not erupt on time. This condition may be caused by several factors:
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Local physical disorder, such as tumor, extra tooth or trauma in the area of the tooth.
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Due to systemic (systemic) conditions that affect the entire body such as malnutrition, endocrinal diseases, etc.
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Various genetic diseases may cause a delay in eruption.
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2Changes in the number of teeth
An excessively large number of permanent teeth (the most common example of this condition is an extra tooth that appears in the front area of the upper jaw) or alternately – a congenitally missing permanent teeth (not including missing wisdom teeth).
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3Changes in the position of teeth
These are conditions in which the position of the teeth is abnormal. For example, when a permanent tooth erupts in the wrong place in the jaw, or when two permanent and adjacent teeth erupt in place of the other.
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4Changes in the quality of the substance of the tooth
There are several genetic disorders that affect development of teeth and cause defects in the thickness and quality of the tooth’s crown. Some of the common defects:
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Amelogenesis imperfecta: defect in the development of the enamel, the hard external layer of the tooth). This defect includes several sub-types that manifest differently but involves aesthetic injury and increased sensitivity to tooth decay.
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Dentiogenesis imperfecta: condition involving injury to the calcification of the dentin layer (the ivory, internal layer of the tooth). The condition manifests as dark discoloration of teeth and a tendency of teeth to easily break, resulting in tremendous erosion.
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Molar Incisor Hypomineralisation (MIH): condition caused by defects in the development of the enamel layer or dentin, which results in a change in thickness and quality of the tooth’s crown, to a soft and breakable enamel layer and to a tendency towards tooth decay. The condition primarily occurs in permanent molars, with occasional involvement of incisors. On rare occasions, the condition also involves baby teeth. Typical symptoms include the appearance of white or brown-yellowish stains, tooth pain and sensitivity, rapid tooth decay and breakage of the involved teeth.
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Important to know
Important to know
Dental treatments for children under the age of 18 and for patients with congenital disorders in the quality of the substance of the tooth, such as Dentinogenesis imperfecta and Amelogenesis imperfecta Amelogenesis imperfect, are included in the health basket.
Injuries to Teeth
Injuries to teeth generally occur as a result of a fall or accident, and largely harm the upper front area of teeth.
The injury can occur on several levels:
In the dental tissue
breakage of the tooth’s crown, injury to the tooth’s root, tooth displacement
In soft tissues
cut of the lip, cut on the tongue, injury to the soft palate, etc.
In jaw bones
fractured jaw or dislocation of the lower jaw. In any injury to the teeth, it is important that you seek immediate medical attention at a dental clinic.
Treatment of the injury
Any injury to the teeth must be examined and treated in a dental clinic. In addition, in head trauma, injury to organs or other tissue must be ruled out.
If a tooth is displaced as a result of the trauma, a distinction must be made between a baby tooth and a permanent tooth, since the treatment differs:
Preventing injury to the teeth
The main method for preventing injury to teeth during childhood is to follow several safety rules:
- At home, try to avoid slipping on the floor, e.g. with anti-slip socks or slippers.
- Watch small children when showering and use a shower mat.
- When playing in the garden and playground, watch children to protect them from falling.
- It is important to use teeth guards when playing contact sports such as basketball, boxing, and so on.
Occlusal Diseases
Early detection and treatment of occlusal diseases require orthodontic interventions (teeth alignment), will largely help shorten treatment time and improve the chances of treatment success. Several conditions require early orthodontic intervention:
- Negative habits: such as thumb sucking, use of a pacifier, tongue thrust, clenching teeth, self-harm.
- Anterior open bite: condition in which the upper and lower front teeth do not touch when the mouth is closed.
- Cross bite: condition in which the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth (opposite from the norm).
- Breathing disorders: these disorders, such as sleep apnea, are generally related to a narrow palate or narrow jaws.
- Early extraction of tooth due to injury, or congenital missing tooth: in these situations, the adjacent teeth tend to move towards the space that was created. This causes a change in the position of teeth in a manner that may affect the bite and make future rehabilitation of the missing tooth or eruption of permanent teeth in their natural position difficult.
Treatment
In the case of negative habits that may adversely affect the position of the permanent teeth and the structure of the face, the recommendation is to choose age-appropriate treatment for the child, beginning with psychological or emotional therapy to orthodontic treatment. With regards to early tooth loss or congenital missing teeth, possible solutions are the use of a "placeholder" that prevents the teeth from shifting, or a "flipper" (a small removable temporary denture) - operations performed by a doctor or dentist. In the case of a narrow palate or narrow jaws, the condition can be alleviated by orthodontically expanding the jaw, which will help open the airways.
In the other situations that affect occlusion of the teeth, consult a doctor or dentist and follow their recommendations. In some cases, the recommendation will be to straighten teeth using one of the methods commonly used today:
- Ortho-surgery: alignment of the teeth through surgical intervention.
- Use of braces: orthodontic devices known as braces.
- Removable device: orthodontic plates, retainer (external device used to stop jaw growth or pulls the teeth to the desired location) etc.
- Use of invisible techniques: such as transparent braces and wires and transparent removable plates.
Recommended date for treatment
As specified, when there is a suspected difficulty in closing the jaws or an incorrect position of the teeth, it is important to consult a doctor or the dentist, and if necessary, seek orthodontic treatment. The date of the treatment will be determined in coordination with you and based on medical considerations.