Children’s Dentistry at Adelaide Dental Spa

Early preventative dental care helps children reduce their chances of tooth decay and fear of the dentist. By establishing a relationship with your child at a young age, we can familiarise them with the dental clinic so that it’s a happy place they don’t mind visiting. Unfortunately, many children never see the dentist until they’re in pain, linking the two together.

Your Child’s First Checkup

At Adelaide Dental Spa, we recommend that children have their first checkup with us by the time they turn 4 years old. If you like, they can come in earlier to watch an older sibling or parent get a check and clean. The more familiar they are with our clinic, the more positive outlook they can have on their oral care experience.

At your child’s first appointment, we’ll work at their pace and show them around the office. While you fill out any necessary forms, your child can entertain themselves with the colouring station in our reception area. When we’ve escorted everyone back to a patient care room, there are TVs on the ceiling which generally distract most children during their exam. If all they’re prepared for is a short ride up and down in the chair, along with oral hygiene instruction, we’ll work from there. Everything is adjusted to your child’s comfort level.

If your child requires any treatment, we can arrange to do book it for a separate appointment. However, if your child is experiencing discomfort and requires emergency attention, we will get them out of pain the same day.

CDBS Accepted

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule is a health scheme that provides free dental treatment up to $1,000 for qualifying children between the ages of 2-18. Everything from checkups to sealants or mouthguards and fillings may qualify.

If your family qualifies for Medicare, then CDBS is usually an option. Ask our patient care coordinators if you have any questions on this oral health allowance.

• Fissure Sealants: Preventing tooth decay is the best dental care a child can have. Besides a good oral hygiene routine, fissure sealants can help further reduce the chances of cavities developing in hard-to-clean areas. Sealants are thin, protective layers that block debris and bacteria from accumulating within the deep grooves and fissures of the molars (back teeth). The best part? They only take a couple of minutes to place! No numbing is needed. We recommend sealing permanent molars as soon as they erupt, which is typically around the ages of six and 12.
• Protective Mouthguards: If your child or teen is active in sport, they’re at an increased risk of facial injuries, concussion, lip laceration and broken teeth. Fortunately, a custom mouth guard offers the best level of protection and can reduce your chances of experiencing a dental emergency.
• Orthodontic Evaluations: Monitoring your child’s bite and anatomical development can make it possible to intervene prior to serious orthodontic complications developing. Most experts recommend an orthodontic evaluation on all children by age seven. We include them in each routine checkup.