does ar 32 have a child specialist on the panel

Yes. A paediatric dentist, also called a pedodontist, is a dentist with a three-year MDS in treating children from infancy to adolescence. Paediatric dentistry is one of the nine departments on our specialist panel; see the paediatric dentistry page.

Which children we send to them

We see patients from age 10 in our routine clinics. For children aged 1 to 10, we recommend one of our MDS paediatric dentists. Young children need a different approach: shorter explanations, more patience, and a dentist who treats small mouths and milk teeth every day.

What they do

• Check-ups and prevention, including fluoride applications and advice on diet, bottles and brushing
• Fillings in milk teeth and young permanent teeth
• Root canal treatment in children (pulp treatment for a milk tooth whose nerve is infected) so the tooth can stay until its natural time to fall out
• Early bite checks; a first orthodontic check around age seven is a good idea

Why milk teeth are worth treating

Many parents hear "they will fall out anyway". But a back milk tooth can stay until 10 to 12 years of age. An untreated cavity can cause pain, disturbed sleep and abscesses, and losing a milk tooth early can let neighbouring teeth drift and crowd the adult teeth. Decay from bedtime milk bottles or frequent sweets, biscuits and mithai is common; read more about cavities and tooth decay.

When to bring your child

• A first visit around the first birthday, or when the first teeth appear
• Any brown or black spots, a hole, or food getting stuck
• Swelling on the gum or face, or pain that wakes them at night; call 8484 990 678 the same day
• A fall that chips or knocks out a tooth. For a knocked-out adult tooth, hold it by the crown, not the root, keep it in milk and come in within 30 to 60 minutes. A knocked-out milk tooth is usually not put back, but the child should still be seen.

What a paediatric dentist will not do

A good children's dentist will not rush a frightened child through a long procedure just to finish it. Sometimes the first visit is mostly about getting the child comfortable in the chair, and the treatment happens at the next one. That can feel slow to a parent who has taken leave from work, but it usually makes every later visit easier.

Making the visit easier

Avoid using the dentist as a threat, and don't promise "it won't hurt"; say instead that the dentist will count and clean their teeth. Morning slots, when children are rested, usually go better. Bring any previous X-rays and a list of medicines or allergies. Our current published fee for an MDS specialist consultation is ₹1,500, and any treatment cost is confirmed after examination. More answers for parents are in our kids dentistry questions.