Many dentists in the Springfield area regularly treat patients of various ages. Some pediatric dental patients may require restorative care before they even start school. 

Here are some of the conditions that may present at an early age.

Tongue-Tie

Some babies are born with a frenulum that is too short. The frenulum is the bit of connecting tissue that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth. If it is not long enough, the tongue cannot move as freely as it should. As a result, the baby may have trouble nursing. Additionally, the condition, which is called tongue-tie, may prevent the child from developing a normal pattern of speech.

Thus, the little one's dentist may suggest a frenectomy. The procedure involves the snipping of the frenulum. Although the treatment may sound invasive, it is not. In fact, it causes so little discomfort that anesthesia may not be needed. The dental professional simply cuts the tissue with medical scissors or a scalpel, freeing the tongue. If the procedure is performed early enough, nutritional deficiencies and the need for speech therapy may be avoided.

Baby Bottle Decay

A baby may continue to feed on a bottle well into toddlerhood. The habit can cause significant damage to the teeth.

As a baby drinks from a bottle, the liquid seeps into the mouth slowly, immersing the teeth in the bottle's contents for a prolonged period. Since many babies consume milk and juice from their bottle, the teeth may be exposed to the natural sugars in the beverages as the children suck.

Parents may even present their child with a bottle at bedtime or naptime to help soothe their youngster to sleep. As the child rests, certain oral reflexes, including the swallowing reflex, is suspended. Thus, the bottle's contents pool in the oral cavity, allowing the teeth to swim in the liquid without relief.

As a result of the consistent use of a bottle as a child's teeth present, the child may suffer from a condition called baby bottle decay. The condition can harm the teeth so substantially that they turn black. To help parents avoid severe decay, dentists often suggest that parents start to wean their children from the bottle as soon as the little ones can drink from a cup.

Also, as the child grows older, the dentist may apply preventive treatments, such as fluoride applications and dental sealants, to help the youngster avoid additional decay-related damage.

If you have concerns about your child's oral health, schedule an appointment with a dentist in the Springfield area to try these guys out.