Children's dentistry
From the very first milk tooth: we support your child’s dental development with relaxed check-ups, fissure sealants and, where needed, gentle treatment of tooth decay.
Why healthy milk teeth matter so much
Milk teeth are more than a temporary solution. Your child needs them for chewing and for speech development, and they hold the space for the permanent teeth. If a milk tooth is lost too early to tooth decay, the neighbouring teeth can tip into the gap. The permanent tooth then lacks the space it needs when it comes through. Added to this, the enamel of milk teeth is thinner than that of permanent teeth, so decay progresses more quickly. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood worldwide, and in the vast majority of cases it can be prevented. That is exactly why good dentistry does not begin at school age but with the very first tooth.
The professional associations recommend the first dental visit as soon as the first milk tooth appears, and no later than around the first birthday. Not because treatment is needed at that point. The first visit is about getting to know each other: your child experiences the practice without any pressure. We take a brief look at the teeth and jaws and advise you on brushing technique, fluoride and diet. Children who get to know the dentist from an early age through relaxed check-ups are less likely to develop a fear of going to the dentist.
We explain every step in a child-friendly way, work calmly and patiently and never force a child into treatment. Trust is the foundation of all good treatment for children, and trust takes time. We take that time.
How we proceed
- 01 Getting to know each other and a first check-up
The first appointment is above all about getting acquainted. Your child can try out the treatment chair, look at the instruments and ask questions. We follow a proven principle of paediatric dentistry: explain first, then show, and only then treat. Together we count the teeth and check whether teeth and jaws are developing as expected for your child’s age. As parents you are of course welcome to come into the treatment room if you and your child wish. As your child grows older, and once trust between your child and the dentist has developed, we recommend that you take a seat in the waiting room.
- 02 Prevention that works: brushing advice, fluoride and sealants
The most effective decay treatment is the one that never becomes necessary. We show you and your child the right brushing technique for every age and advise on fluoride toothpaste and diet. Where there is an increased risk of decay, we apply fluoride varnish. This has been shown to reduce the risk of new decay. In some cases the deep pits and grooves of the permanent molars can be protected with fissure sealants shortly after they come through. Their effect against tooth decay is well documented.
- 03 If decay does occur: gentle treatment
We treat decay in milk teeth as gently as possible and in a way your child can cope with well. Small defects are restored with tooth-coloured fillings under careful anaesthetic, and we make sure your child notices as little of it as possible. Early decay confined to the enamel can often be stopped without any drilling, for example with resin infiltration. And if drilling is not yet possible, for example with very young or very anxious children, we can treat the decay with a gentle gel procedure, entirely without drilling and without an injection. The tooth stays protected and is preserved for later restoration.
- 04 Keeping an eye on dental development
At the regular check-ups we follow the transition from milk teeth to permanent teeth and spot early on if space is short or the bite does not fit together. How often these check-ups are advisable depends on your child’s individual findings. For the first orthodontic check the professional associations recommend an age of around seven. This check takes place right here in our practice with our orthodontist Dr Danica Nikolic, who has extensive experience with children and teenagers. You can read more on our orthodontics page. Step by step, your child moves with healthy teeth towards the age when the permanent teeth take over.
Good to know
Milk teeth fall out anyway, many people think. The thought is understandable, but it is misleading. Untreated decay in a milk tooth can cause pain, and an infection at the root can damage the permanent tooth bud developing underneath. The back milk teeth also stay with your child until around the age of twelve. That is a long time for a diseased tooth.
A word about sugar: alongside the amount, what matters most is how often. Constant sipping of sweetened drinks, including diluted fruit juice, is one of the most common causes of early tooth decay in toddlers. Water as the go-to thirst quencher is one of the most effective protective habits you can give your child at home. A sip of water after eating or drinking also rinses sugar and acids off the teeth, and saliva neutralises the rest.
If a tooth is chipped or knocked out completely in a fall, every minute counts with permanent teeth. Hold the tooth only by the crown, do not rub or disinfect it, and if it is heavily soiled rinse it briefly with cold milk. Keep it moist, ideally in a tooth rescue box or in cold milk, and come to the practice straight away.
Treatments in this area
- Check-ups for children
Relaxed check-up appointments from the very first milk tooth, explained in your child’s own language.
- Fluoride and fissure sealants
They strengthen the enamel and protect the molars against tooth decay, with well-documented results.
- Decay treatment for children
Gentle, child-friendly treatment with tooth-coloured fillings, without drilling wherever possible.
- Supporting dental development
From the change of teeth to the first orthodontic check at around seven years of age.
Your child’s first appointment
At the first appointment your child gets to know us and the practice at their own pace. Together we look at the teeth, advise you on prevention and daily care and answer all your questions, in your language and in your child’s.
More treatments
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Digital dentistry
Examine thoroughly, plan precisely, deliver digitally: from the first diagnosis to the finished restoration, we work digitally throughout. This makes treatments more accurate, more comfortable and more predictable.
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Professional dental cleaning and preventive care
Healthy teeth begin with good prevention. Professional dental cleanings as part of a personalised preventive care plan remove plaque, tartar and discolouration before problems arise.
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Periodontics and gum health
Bleeding gums are a warning sign. We treat gingivitis and periodontitis with modern periodontal therapies to preserve your teeth and jawbone.
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Conservative dentistry: fillings, inlays and onlays
Your own tooth is the best tooth there is. We take the least invasive approach to tooth decay and minor damage, using fillings in the natural colour of your tooth, and restore larger defects with precisely fitted ceramic inlays and onlays. This way, as much healthy tooth structure as possible is preserved.
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Root canal treatment (endodontics)
An inflamed tooth nerve does not mean the end of the tooth. Wherever possible, we keep the living nerve. Where that is not possible, a root canal treatment removes the inflammation from inside the tooth, relieves the pain and saves the tooth from extraction.
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Orthodontics and invisible aligners
We correct tooth position and bite with treatments tailored to each patient: from traditional braces to invisible aligners, for children, teenagers and adults.
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Dental crowns and partial crowns
Even a badly damaged tooth can usually be saved. A crown or partial crown restores its shape, stability and chewing function. That way you keep your own tooth.
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Tooth extraction and wisdom teeth
Sometimes a tooth extraction is the right treatment: when a tooth can no longer be saved or is completely in the wrong position, or when a wisdom tooth is causing problems. In that case we remove the tooth gently under local anaesthetic and, where needed, plan the right tooth replacement before the procedure. That way no permanent gap remains after the extraction.
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Dental implants and tooth replacement
The right answer for every gap: we replace a single missing tooth with an implant and a crown. If several teeth are missing, we close the gap with individual implants or an implant-supported bridge. And even for a jaw with no teeth left, we have fixed solutions that look good.
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Cosmetic dentistry
Healthy teeth can be beautiful too: we whiten them in a controlled way and correct shape and colour with veneers or tooth-coloured composite. You decide what should change, and we work as conservatively as possible.
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Children's dentistry
From the very first milk tooth: we support your child’s dental development with relaxed check-ups, fissure sealants and, where needed, gentle treatment of tooth decay.
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Teeth grinding and TMJ disorders
Teeth grinding, jaw pain and clicking in the jaw joint rarely have a single cause. We examine the function of the joint and the muscles and check the teeth for signs of grinding and clenching. A custom-fitted occlusal splint is often used, combined where needed with physiotherapy and other specialities.
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Snoring and sleep apnoea treatment
In many cases, snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea can be treated at the dental practice: with a custom-fitted splint that you wear at night.
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Nervous patients
Time, clear arrangements and an agreed stop signal: gentle dentistry for everyone who finds visiting the dentist difficult.
