Introduction to Paedodontics

At the end of the course student is required to be able to: 1. describe and identify the difference between deciduous and permanent teeth; 2. demonstrate child management techniques for examination and diagnosis; 3. demonstrate ability to identify and refer cases beyond the scope of dental therapy; and 4. perform oral health education for paediatric patients.

Compare the deciduous with the permanent dentition. Identify the types of teeth in the deciduous dentition. Classify teeth of the deciduous dentition. Describe the anatomy of each tooth in the deciduous dentition. Explain relationship of root formation to tooth eruption. Identify the eruption dates in the deciduous dentition. State the age when space for permanent teeth is well established. Identify conditions that lead to space loss in deciduous dentition. Explain need for tooth retention before exfoliation in children. Estimate the age of the child. Describe possible reactions of the child to the dental environment. Describe possible motivational actions above, and describe possible ways of sustaining the child’s attention. Identify the child examination instruments. Eexamine the oral cavity (deciduous model) of the child using mouth mirror, examine the teeth (deciduous model) using the periodontal probes. Demonstrate the use of tweezer on the model. Identify possible oral presentation observable in the oral cavity. List possible diagnosis above such as carious lesions. Explain dental caries in children. Describe and apply dental caries control in children. Identify conditions other than caries that are common in children. Explain the mode of control of the conditions. Plan simple treatment and referral of cases such as Oral health education, scaling and polishing.