2 Reasons Your Teen Might Need a Periodontist

When parents in the Toronto area think of taking care of their children’s teeth, we often think of wrestling a toddler with grape-scented floss or adding a sticker to the chore chart under “brush teeth.” In truth, helping your children with their oral hygiene extends well into early adulthood. Here are some reasons why you may need to look for periodontics clinics in Toronto for your teen.

The jaw is still developing

Although it may seem like your teen is almost an adult who may be taller than you, shaving their beard, and driving all over Toronto in their car, when it comes to their jaw and teeth, we need to remember that the mandible (the lower jaw) can continue growing into your child’s early twenties! If your child has sustained facial trauma that resulted in the loss of any permanent teeth, it’s important to have them assessed by a dentist to determine whether they’ll need a referral to any periodontics clinics in Toronto or an Orthodontist (if your child is a pre-teen and does not yet have all their permanent teeth).

Orthodontists can help young children with gaps in their teeth by designing and inserting a spacer to maintain the integrity of the space for the adult tooth that will eventually emerge and fill that spot.

There are lots of options for addressing gaps in the teeth caused by trauma to a permanent tooth depending on the extent of the damage and the stage of growth your teen is in. Bridges are less permanent and fill the gap while cemented to the bordering teeth if they are healthy enough to support the bridge. Dental implants require more time, scans, and possibly bone grafts depending on the circumstances with the patient’s jaw. Only a periodontist can determine whether a bridge or dental implant would be best to support the gap.

They may need scaling

The teenage years can be incredibly busy, especially in a busy city like Toronto. Young adults are learning to juggle school, social lives, sometimes a new job, and all sorts of other commitments as they slowly become more independent. Unfortunately, sometimes this translates to other areas of their lives receiving less attention than is necessary, like their dental hygiene for example. Whether your teen is missing their routine checkups or simply letting things slide when it comes to their teeth, it doesn’t take long for plaque to build up on and below the gum line which can become tartar and the start of periodontitis or serious gum disease.

To get your teen’s teeth back on track and address any gum disease that may be occurring, you might want to look for periodontics clinics in Toronto that offer scaling services. Scaling is a relatively simple procedure where a skilled dental professional uses tools like manual or ultrasonic scalers to break up tartar and clean above and below the gum line. Because their jaws are still developing, it’s essential to maintain a healthy oral hygiene routine and prevent gum disease that can spread into teeth roots and jawbone, disrupting growth and causing damage to the supporting structures of the jaw and teeth.

The more independent your teenager seems, the more it appears they no longer need your help. When it comes to dental care, though, it’s important to check in regularly to help them identify potential problems. If you have concerns, finding the right periodontics clinics in Toronto can help support your teen’s healthy teeth and jaw development into adulthood.