MALO CLINIC
Oral health of children and adolescents
Pediatric Dentistry is the specialty of Dentistry exclusively dedicated to the
maintenance of the oral health of children, adolescents and patients with special needs.
This specialty includes both the treatment and prevention of oral pathologies, since monitoring the development of the so-called "milk teeth" is essential not only to ensure correct phonetic and chewing functions but also, and above all, to diagnose and prevent prematurely potential problems, ensuring healthy permanent teeth.
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MALO CLINIC Kids
- In order to dedramatize the visit to the Dentist we created MALO KIDS, a ludic and pedagogical space dedicated exclusively to the youngest patients, where they can distract themselves in a fun way while they wait for the moment of the consultation.
- Our Pediatric Dentistry offices are also equipped and decorated to receive your child in a cozy environment, adapted to the world of children.
- Although some treatments are similar to the ones for adults, Pediatric Dentistry offers exclusive treatments taking into account the specificities of the age groups in question: smaller body and facial oral dimensions, growing skull and jaw bone, dynamic eruptive process of the dentition and presence of "milk teeth", among others.
Treatments
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1st consultation of Pediatric Dentistry
Your child's first consultation at the dentist is one of the most important consultations the child makes with us, if not the most important one. In this consultation, the child knows the space, the instruments and the team of Pediatric Dentistry.
An evaluation of the risk of caries of the child is carried out, addressing the themes of feeding and brushing, fundamental for the maintenance of correct oral health. Further cleaning and application of topical fluoride as well as intraoral radiographs are performed if necessary. The consultations of this specialty last, in average, 15 to 30 minutes.
At the end of the consultation, the parents are explained the diagnosis and the treatment plan is established.In the absence of oral pathology, the child should visit the dentist at least every 6 months to make an oral evaluation, including oral cleaning and topical application of fluoride.
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1st Pediatric Dentistry consultation: when to schedule?
Dental problems can arise quite early and it is therefore recommended that the first consultation occurs at the moment the first teeth are born, usually between 6 months and 1 year of age. This consultation's main objective is to advise parents about the main preventive measures in Oral Health, as well as not to miss any kind of dental pathology such as defects of dental enamel and cavities.
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Preventive Orthodontic Monitoring
Dental malposition and malocclusion are problems that affect many children, determining the need for orthodontic appliances. In this sense, regular monitoring is essential to act early, prevent or treat the problem from the outset. In cases where the Pediatric Odontopediatrician diagnoses the need to use a corrective device, the child is referred to the MALO CLINIC Department of Orthodontics, where he will be followed by a specialist.
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Dental Injuries
Dental trauma is one of the most frequent causes of urgency in the dental office. They can range from simple fractures to the avulsion ("fall") of the tooth itself. Due to the close relation between the milk tooth and the definitive successor tooth, it is important that the child is always assessed by the Pediatric Dentistry after a dental trauma.
At MALO CLINIC, the Pediatric Dentistry instructs parents about the procedures to be performed after a dental trauma, such as a fracture of a definitive tooth.
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Treatment of cavities
The frequent ingestion of sugars associated with bad brushing often results in the appearance of cavities. If left untreated, caries can condition the early loss of milk teeth, often with consequences for the positioning and alignment permanent teeth. In addition to the treatment, during the consultation the child and parents are advised on healthy eating habits and oral hygiene.
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Enamel Defects
Enamel defects are a risk factor for dental caries and require specific dental treatment. Among the most frequent enamel defects is Incisive-Molar Hipomineralization. Teeth with this type of enamel defect are more brittle and have white or brown spots, or even rough depressions that increase the risk of caries. Children with this problem have a greater sensitivity to thermal stimuli, as well as greater difficulty in obtaining effective anesthesia during dental treatments, sometimes requiring the use of other behavior control techniques such as conscious sedation with nitrogen protoxide.
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Topical Application of Fluoride
Fluoride is a key component in preventing tooth decay and it is important as soon as the first tooth erupts. In the visit to the Pediatric Dentistry, the patient's risk of caries is calculated and according to this risk the fluoride dose indicated for each patient is defined, so that the parents can use the most appropriate toothpaste.
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Topical Application of Sealants
To prevent the onset of caries lesions, it is often the application of fissure sealant is often applied. The sealant is a varnish that when applied on healthy teeth protects the masticatory surface, preventing the appearance of cavities. The sealing of the teeth is not universal and it’s only indicated in specific cases to be evaluated by the Pediatric Dentistry.
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Oral Health Guidance
During the consultation and in a pedagogical way, children and parents receive guidance about oral health, which includes advice on the advantages of a poor diet poor in sugars, as well as indications on procedures for a proper oral hygiene. In addition to avoiding the appearance of cavities and plaque, a correct brushing also prevents the appearance of problems in the gums.
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Bacterial plaque control
The bacterial plaque results from the accumulation of bacteria and food debris in the oral cavity. Its control is fundamental for the maintenance of oral health, especially with regard to the prevention of dental caries. In addition to providing indications about oral hygiene procedures for the prevention and elimination of bacterial plaque, in specific cases the Pediatric Dentistry may also eliminate it by mechanical means.
Sedation and General Anesthesia
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Patients with fear and anxiety
The Pediatric Dentistry has specific training to deal with the child's fear and anxiety, turning a dental consultation practice into a positive and pleasant experience.
Through an appropriate and adequate language to the child's age, positive reinforcement, explanation of all consultation steps prior to their implementation and other techniques, it is possible to establish a channel of communication between the dentist and the child in order to calm her down.
If the basic behavior control techniques are not sufficient to reassure the child, the dentist may use other solutions.
At MALO CLINIC we have available the technique of conscious sedation by inhalation of nitrogen and oxygen protoxide for patients with mild to moderate anxiety, for patients with severe anxiety, there is the possibility of performing dental treatments under general anesthesia.
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Conscious Sedation
The technique of conscious sedation by inhalation of nitrogen oxide and oxygen is a safe and noninvasive technique where the child breathes the mixture through a nasal mask and remains conscious throughout the consultation. The benefits of this technique include reducing the anxiety and perception of the treatment being performed, thus allowing a quality and safe treatment for both the dental team and the children.
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General Anesthesia
For children with severe anxiety, need for many/ extensive and / or complex dental treatments, as well as for patients with special needs, it is indicated to perform dental treatments under General Anesthesia.
MALO CLINIC Lisbon has in its facilities operating blocks and a multidisciplinary team dedicated to the treatment of patients under general anesthesia.
Our pediatric dentists have extensive experience in performing these treatments.
Treatment of patients with special needs
- Patients with special needs are a group of patients who include all those who have any physical, mental, sensory, behavioral, cognitive, emotional or other limiting condition that requires medical treatment, health care and / or the use of services and specialized programs. Health care in these patients is beyond what is considered routine, requiring greater attention and specialized training, not only for the medical complications associated with the patient's systemic disease, but also for the specific oral characteristics that they often present.
- MALO CLINIC Pediatric dentists have specific training for the treatment of these patients, allowing them to be treated in a safe environment, adapted to their needs.
Clinical cases
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