Should Your Teen Still See A Pediatric Dentist?

Though teens may behave as if they are all grown up but we, as parents or guardians, know the answer. However, it is good not to disappoint your teenage son or daughter’s impression of being an ‘adult’ and simply fulfill your parental responsibilities. But should you consider going to a dentist or a pediatric dentist when it comes to their oral and dental health? To answer the question, you should always take your teen to a pediatric. ‘Yes, your teen should still see a pediatric dentist.’ This is because changes still happen in their mouth and pediatric dentists are trained to meet these special needs. But, this is not the only reason for it. Let us find out the pertinent reasons behind this.

Reason 1: Early dental needs Only a pediatric dentist understands the dental needs of your teen. The dentist easily detects the problem and provides the best treatment at the very onset of the dental trouble. Even if you cannot understand the problem, the pediatric dentist will.
Reason 2: Specially trained pediatric dentists The teens are still growing even though their milk teeth are lost and have been replaced with the permanent ones. Simultaneously, their jaws, face and gums are still growing and shaping. Keeping them under the check-up of a pediatric dentist helps as the dentist is well aware of these changes and monitors the growth without a flaw.
Reason 3: Easy detection of orthodontic problem The pediatric dentist is already thorough with your child’s growing teeth and dental structure. Thus, it will be an easy game for the dentist to identify and treat a rising dental problem. This can be overcrowding of teeth, a half-grown tooth, a cavity-impacted tooth, etc.
Reason 4: Wisdom teeth issues As your teenaged child begins to grow, at the same time his/her wisdom teeth also begin to surface. It causes gums to ache, headaches, disability to open the mouth properly and several other issues. In such a situation, going to a pediatric dentist would be the best decision as he/she would be the best judge to decide upon the next dental action that is to be taken. This is primarily because pediatric orthodontists deal with wisdom teeth growth amongst teenagers and so they have a thorough knowledge of it.
Reason 5: Growing familiarity

If the same pediatric dentist checks your teenager ever since your child was a kid, a certain amount of familiarity builds up between the two. This evades the child’s fear and anxiety every time there is a dental problem because your child trusts the skills of the dentist. Changing from a pediatric dentist to a general one can become challenging as there can be instances where your child may not cooperate or have a growing fear. It will only lead to a lack in the treatment procedures.

Teen years can be challenging and your kids are still learning to take care of themselves. Dental treatments like tooth extraction can threaten or scare even adults, leave alone teens. Thus, why even give them the chance to go through this treatment unless it is the last straw? Moreover, if a situation like this ever arises then the pediatric dentist will advise you about the same. So, keep your teen under the care of a pediatric dentist to deal with dental issues that include wisdom teeth extraction, overcrowded teeth, braces, etc.