There are 20 deciduous teeth in total. The primary function of deciduous teeth is to provide nutrition for the child. The proper development of speech also depends on the presence of deciduous teeth. Deciduous teeth protect the space they occupy for the permanent tooth that will replace them and guide the permanent tooth as it erupts. When the deciduous tooth is extracted prematurely, this natural placeholder function disappears. The first aim of pediatric dentistry is to take measures to prevent dental problems and to guide children towards a caries-free future. The procedures applied for this purpose are called Preventive Dental Practices.

Within the scope of preventive practices to prevent dental caries, great importance is attached to educating the child and their family about oral and dental health and nutrition. In our clinic, tooth brushing technique is explained to our patients practically. Preventive dental practices include superficial fluoride and fissure sealants.

Fissure sealant:
It is a fluid-filling material that closes the deep and caries-prone fissures (grooves) on the chewing surfaces of permanent teeth, does not allow bacteria to reach there, and thus prevents caries. Fissure sealant applications should be checked every 6 months.

Fluoride applications:
Fluorine is an element that prevents tooth caries and strengthens the structure of teeth. Since the enamel is not fully mature when the teeth first erupt, newly erupted teeth are generally less resistant to caries and prone to caries formation. Fluorine strengthens tooth enamel and protects the tooth against acid attacks, thus helping to prevent tooth caries. Professional superficial fluoridation is a preventive method that can only be applied by dentists. Superficial fluorine should be applied by a dentist every 6 months.
Dental Caries: Dental caries is a disease that starts with the destruction of tooth hard tissues by acids produced as a result of the fermentation of nutrients by bacteria on the tooth. Especially in early childhood, common caries that occurs in young children as a result of putting foods such as milk with honey, sugar, or biscuits into the bottle during sleep and giving it to the child and dipping the pacifier into sugary foods is called bottle caries.
Dental Trauma: One of the most common problems in childhood is traumatic injuries. Treatment is based on the patient’s age, the degree and site of the injury, the tissues involved, and the general condition of the patient.

Retainers: In early deciduous tooth loss, appliances called retainers are used to protect the place of the permanent tooth that will come from below. Space maintainers are appliances that prevent neighboring teeth from moving into the extraction cavity thus preventing the permanent tooth from either remaining impacted or emerging from a different place, thus preventing orthodontic disorder in the future. Children who are in harmony with the dentist are treated under clinical conditions, while children with mental disabilities or anxiety are treated under sedation or general anesthesia.