Dental Medicine | Seattle Children's Hospital

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Dental Medicine

Overview

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Dental medicine is the care and treatment of the teeth, mouth and related body parts, such as the jaw. Our Dental Medicine program provides specialized care for children and teens with complex medical conditions, developmental delays and behavioral problems, including those who cannot be treated elsewhere. To coordinate your child's care and provide the most complete service available, our team of dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons and speech pathologists works closely with experts in the Craniofacial Center, the  Cancer and Blood Disorders program,  Rheumatology, Cardiology, Rehabilitation Medicine and  Neurodevelopmental.

We are very experienced in treating dental emergencies and jaw injuries, and have a dentist on call to care for children who come to Children's Emergency Department with dental injuries or other problems that need treatment right away. We are leaders in managing care for children who have cleft palate and other differences in the bones of the face and skull (craniofacial deformities).

 

Conditions We Treat


We see children with many conditions, including:


Sores and tumors in the mouth (oral lesions) and jaw

Many different disorders cause sores in the mouth, from common canker sores to less familiar conditions, such as hand, foot and mouth disease (coxsackievirus). Tumors are lumps that form when cells divide in an uncontrolled way. While they can be cancerous (malignant), many found in the mouths and jaws of children are not cancer (benign).

Tooth decay (dental decay)

Our team treats children with tooth decay who have complex medical conditions, developmental delays or behavioral problems and can't be treated elsewhere.

Dental emergencies

Some dental emergencies, such as broken teeth, may be the result of accidents. Others, such as swelling in the face or infections in the mouth, face or jaw (dental abscesses), can get worse over time until they become an emergency. All of these dental problems need treatment right away. We have a dentist on call to care for children who come to Children's Emergency Department.

Services We Offer

Dental, orthodontic and facial orthopedic care for children who have deformed bones of the skull and the face (craniofacial disorders)

Healthy teeth are very important for children who have craniofacial conditions. This is because the teeth support orthodontic devices that can improve jaw position and the results of reconstructive surgery.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery and reconstruction

There are many conditions in which a child's mouth or lower part of the face doesn't grow properly. These are called oral and maxillofacial conditions. These conditions can affect the way your child breathes, eats, sleeps, talks and looks. Some, including cleft lip and palate, can be treated with surgery.

Speech prosthetics

Speech prosthetics are devices that replace missing parts of the mouth or jaw, and can help children speak more easily and clearly.

Dental care for children who need general anesthesia

Children who have severe anxiety, complex medical issues or other conditions that make it hard for them to cooperate may need medicine to put them to sleep (general anesthesia) during dental care, especially if they need lots of treatment.