Let's face it, few people are thrilled at the thought of their next dental visit. Very few professions are is feared as that of Dentistry. The practice of dentistry is thousands of years old and, fortunately, tremendous advancements have been made in treatment and procedures. Even so, dental visits are often pushed off until it is too late and pain drives one to see a dentist.

Dentists are highly skilled, specialized doctors who only want to help people maintain healthy teeth and gums. Routine dental care is a habit that people develop early on, and the sooner the better, as early checkups will help to prevent tooth decay and cavities. According to the American Dental Association (ADA) it suggested that children should have their first dental visit by the age of one year – when the first teeth appear.

Dentists that special in children and teenagers are Pediatric dentists such as pediatric dentist atlanta. Pediatric dentists have an additional two years of residency training in dentistry for infants, children, special needs children and teenagers. Dentists at pediatric dental associates can perform a full range of dental procedures including preventive treatments, tooth extraction, cleaning and fluoride treatments, and early orthodontic assessments such as braces and improper bite.

A pediatric dentist atlanta realizes that children are not miniature adults. Children are not always capable of being patient, cooperative and remaining still during a dental exam. Pediatric dentists are skilled in making children comfortable and even have specially designed offices and equipment decorated with children in mind. The exam rooms are often equipped with a TV and DVD player and a wide variety of kid-theme movies. It is not unusual to find waiting rooms and exam rooms featuring salt or freshwater fish tanks as research has proven a direct correlation between watching fish in a fish tank and relaxation.

A pediatric dentist atlanta ga along with their support staff, work as a team providing expert pediatric dental services such as:

Infant oral health exams including risk assessment for cavities.

Habit counseling for thumb or finger sucking and pacifiers.

Orthodontics and braces for children and teenagers.

Athletic mouth guards.

Diagnosis of oral symptoms associated with diseases such as diabetes, asthma, heart defects, and attention deficit or hyperactivity disorders.

Early management of gum disease.

Emergencies such as fractures or knocked-out teeth.

The first visit to the dentist at age one is considered a "well baby visit" and helps to educate parents in the proper care of their children's teeth and hopefully help them to remain cavity-free. Pediatric dentists commonly see children with cavities due to falling asleep with a bottle of juice or milk. The dentist will discuss why this happens, the importance of encouraging children to drink from a cup as they approach one-year of age, and how to properly brush young children's teeth. Getting into a life-long habit of good dental hygiene simply cannot be over-emphasized.