Your little kid is now becoming a teenager, do you still need to keep having them go to a pediatric dentist? The quick answer is yes, your teenager should still go to a pediatric dentist. There are many reasons why they should. Smile Reef wants to help you understand why it is important for your teenager to continue seeing their pediatric dentist and why it is beneficial for them.
Do Teenagers Still Grow?
Your teenager has lost all of their baby teeth and now has all their permanent teeth in. But just because your baby’s teeth are gone does not mean their face has finished growing up. A teenager’s face and mouth can continue to grow until about age 18 to 22. At around this age is when their mouth has stopped developing. Many parents will keep their children with a pediatric dentist until about this age because they are still growing and developing and a pediatric dentist has experience in this department.
Many Teenagers Need Orthodontics
Even though we may hate it, these are the years that most teens need to start seeing orthodontic treatment. A teenager’s jaw growth may not keep up when they start getting permanent teeth in. When this happens, it can cause crowning or impaction issues with their teeth. The pediatric dentist can check when they do their evaluation if there is bite and teeth impaction or tooth crowding. They also will be the ones to recommend if your child needs braces and they can give you referrals to an orthodontist.
Can Wisdom Teeth Start Growing in Teens?
Wisdom teeth will start coming in when you are in your late teens to early 20s. They are the 3rd set of molars that are located in the very back of your row of teeth. These molars can often cause crowding, tooth decay, and pain. They are in the very back of your mouth they can be hard to clean. If not cleaned properly just like all teeth, bacteria can start to grow and you can get cavities and gum disease. A pediatric dentist can help detect these problems and help you when issues occur.
Teaching Teenagers Responsibility
Teen years can be very hard years. These are the years that they want to have more independence and more responsibility. Because they want more independence now is a great time to teach your teens about being responsible and making good healthy choices. They should be starting to be able to handle their dental needs without mom and dad always making them. These are also the years that they like to do sports and often injuries happen in sports. They need to make wise choices and protect their mouth in some of those contact sports.
Pediatric Dentistry
Even though the teen years can be hard for both parents and teens it is important that they take care of their teeth and mouth. Call Smile Reef and schedule your teen an appointment today to help get their mouth and teeth clean.
