When Should Your Kids Stop Going To A Pediatric Dentist?

10 May 2019
 Categories: Dentist, Blog


If you currently take your children to a pediatric dentist, you might wonder when you should switch to a family dentist. Pediatric dentists typically offer services to kids that are 18 years old and younger, but does this mean you should automatically make the switch when your kids reach the age of 18? Probably not. Instead, you may want to continue taking them there even after they reach this age, and there are several things to understand about this.

Pediatric dentists have a specialty

Taking kids to a family dentist can be fine, but if you want them to receive the best care possible, you should take them to a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists are more knowledgeable with preventative care and treatment options for kids than other dentists, and this is mainly because they focus on treatment for kids. They know the challenges that kids face, and they know the best methods for preventing cavities. If you want your kids to have the best care possible, you should find a pediatric dentist.

Pediatric dentists also know a lot about orthodontics and wisdom teeth

The second thing to understand is that pediatric dentists do not just specialize in baby teeth and treatment for young kids. They are also trained to understand a lot about orthodontics and wisdom teeth. Most kids do not end up needing braces until they are 13 or so, and most kids do not begin experiencing problems with their wisdom teeth until they are 18 or older. Because of this, it might be a good idea to continue bringing your kids to a pediatric dentist until they are in their 20s, as this is likely around the age when people will need treatment for their wisdom teeth. Continuing treatment from a pediatric dentist can be helpful for parents as they have to make decisions about wisdom teeth and braces.

Making the switch is not always necessary

You may want to ask your pediatric dentist when to transition to a family dentist, and when you ask, you might find out that the dentist will continue offering treatment to a person as long as he or she wants to continue receiving treatment there. In other words, most pediatric dentists will not tell a person they have to switch to a new dentist. Instead, they will just continue treating them no matter how old they are.

If you have questions about pediatric dentistry, talk to a dentist in your city today.


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