Children's Dentistry I

Course Outline

Treating children can be very challenging and a great deal of fun. This course will deal with everyday children’s dentistry with these concepts in mind.

Children respond to us. If you enter the operatory with a dreadful demeanor, you can expect the child not cooperating. If you are having a bad day, it is best to reschedule the child’s appointment.

The child is used to being entertained. He plays all day long. This does not need to change when he comes to your office. An abrupt behavior change will take place if it does change. Children 3 to 6 years old are handled differently than children 7 to 12 years old. This is not a hard and fast rule. Some children mature faster than others. A 5- or 6-year-old child may be mature enough to be treated as an older child.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course you’ll be able to:

  1. Describe treatment for the three- to six-year-old child.
  2. Describe the first, second and third appointments.
  3. Describe the hypnosis technique.
  4. State how a procedure is made easier in a child age three to six.
  5. State why a child between two and eight years old should never be left alone.
  6. List the methods of treatment for the seven- to twelve-year old.
  7. Describe the money bribe.
  8. Describe when a patient is numb.
  9. Describe the three injections and rules of the road when giving an inferior alveolar nerve block.
  10. Describe the three injections when using the infiltration method.
  11. Compare the bent needle versus the straight needle technique.
  12. Describe the treatment for the child in pain.
  13. Describe the method for taking children X-rays.
  14. State how to develop X-rays by the sight method.
  15. Describe the monster-face technique.
  16. Describe how to mount X-rays.
  17. Compare the process of reinserting a permanent tooth versus a deciduous tooth.
  18. Compare treatment when there is a fracture of the crown portion versus the root portion of an anterior tooth.
  19. Describe the abscessed tooth.
  20. Describe the sequence of infection.
  21. Compare treatment of a six-year-old molar and deciduous molar.
  22. Describe the dental exam.
  23. Discuss the prevalence of tooth decay in children according to the anecdote.
  24. Describe composites.
  25. Discuss the use of stainless-steel crowns.
  26. State the procedure for fitting a stainless-steel crown on a primary tooth.
  27. Describe pedodontic surgery and list post-operative instructions.
  28. Discuss the importance of the six-year-old molar.
  29. Compare the unilateral spacer and the office unilateral spacer.
  30. Discuss the removable appliance with a screw and its care.

Course Contents

The 3- to 6-Year-Old Child

Child’s First-Time Visit to the Dental Office

  • The First Appointment
  • The Second Appointment
  • The Third Appointment

The Very Young Child

  • Procedure Without Anesthetic

The Young Child, Age 3 to 6

  • Rules of the Road

Older Children, 7 to 12

  • The Apprehensive Child
  • The ‘Money Bribe’
  • Rules of the Road for the Older Child

The Painless Injection

  • When Is a Patient Numb?
  • The Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Injection
  • Rules of the Road
  • The Infiltration Method of Injection
  • Injections Into Hard Tissue (Gingiva) After the Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block is Given
  • Injections Into Hard Tissues After the Tooth is Numbed by the Infiltration Method
  • Maxillary Teeth
  • Mandibular Anterior Teeth
  • Rules of the Road
  • Mental Block Injection
  • Rules of the Road
  • Injecting Exroliating Deciduous Teeth
  • Rules of the Road
  • The Bent Needle vs. The Straight Needle
  • The Correct Method of Replacing the Plastic Cover
  • Rules of the Road

The Emergency Child in Pain

  • Sedation
  • Treatment Immobilization Papoose Board

Children’s X-rays

  • Rule of Thumb
  • Taking the X-ray
  • Developing the X-ray
  • Developing X-rays by Sight Method
  • Bisecting Angle Technique
  • Anterior Periapical Incisal X-ray
  • Bitewing X-ray
  • Occlusal X-ray
  • Mounting X-rays

Dental Emergencies

  • The Exfoliated Tooth
  • Permanent Tooth
  • Deciduous Teeth
  • Root-Canal-Exposed Vital Deciduous Anterior Tooth
  • Major Fracture in the Crown Portion of the Child’s Anterior Permanent Tooth
  • Major Fracture in the Root Portion of an Anterior Tooth

The Abscessed Tooth

  • Treatment of Abscessed Permanent Teeth
  • Treatment of Abscessed Deciduous Teeth

The Sequence of Infection

  • The Sequence of Infection
  • Discussion
  • The Exposed Vital 6-Year-Old Molar
  • Deciduous Molar
  • Pulpotomy on a Permanent 6-Year-Old Molar
  • Formocresol Debate

Conclusion