Paedodontics

Paedodontics is the branch of dentistry dedicated to the oral health of infants, children and adolescents, including those with special needs. It encompasses preventive measures, behavioural management, minimally invasive interventions and comprehensive treatment planning during primary and mixed dentitions. Key priorities include risk assessment and prevention of early childhood caries through dietary counselling, topical fluorides and fissure sealing; management of developmental anomalies such as enamel hypomineralisation and delayed eruption; and guidance of growth and occlusion to reduce the need for extensive orthodontic care. Behavioural strategies range from child-friendly communication and desensitisation to pharmacological adjuncts when required. Advances in optical diagnostic tools and digital imaging have improved early lesion detection, while an increased emphasis on quality-of-life outcomes has shifted focus towards interventions that preserve tooth structure, reduce discomfort and support long-term oral health. Paedodontics integrates medical, psychological and social perspectives to protect children’s rights to effective, developmentally appropriate and accessible dental care.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) has been shown to detect and quantify microleakage beneath resin sealants in vitro. Fluorescence loss correlates strongly with histological dye‐penetration depth, yielding diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.83–0.91) that supports noninvasive monitoring of sealant integrity in high‐risk paediatric patients. A cross‐sectional study of Syrian schoolchildren aged 8–11 years found a 39.9% prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH), with demarcated opacities most common on first permanent molars and incisors. Severity was linked to higher caries indices and pronounced hypersensitivity, particularly in girls, underlining the need for early screening and tailored management pathways. An investigation into age-related hearing loss in the extended high-frequency range (>8 kHz) demonstrated that young patients exhibit heightened unpleasantness to dental‐drill noise compared with adults. Findings suggest that age-appropriate noise-control strategies may reduce procedural anxiety and improve tolerance among paediatric patients.

Research from all publishers

A randomized controlled trial of therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) for children and adolescents with dental or injection phobia showed that after a 12-week programme, 41% no longer met diagnostic criteria for phobia versus none in the wait-list group. Treatment produced large improvements in avoidance, self-efficacy and anxiety measures, enabling participants to more readily accept dental care without sedation. A systematic review with GRADE assessment compared antiseptic and chemomechanical adjuncts for dentine disinfection in deep lesions. Though evidence remains of low certainty, one commercial chemomechanical gel achieved superior bacterial reduction versus control. The review highlights the need for further high-quality clinical trials to define best practices in selective carious-dentine removal. A novel bioactive caries-detecting dye was evaluated in a split-mouth clinical study. Application of the dye improved the accuracy of infected-dentine identification, reduced operative time and patient discomfort compared with conventional rotary excavation, and yielded comparable restoration performance at 12-month follow-up, suggesting a promising adjunct for minimally invasive paediatric dentistry.

Paedodontics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in paedodontics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Primary dentition: The first set of 20 deciduous teeth that emerge between 6 months and 3 years of age, guiding development of the jaws and space for permanent successors.

Early childhood caries (ECC): A pattern of aggressive, untreated decay in primary teeth of young children, often associated with frequent sugar intake and inadequate oral hygiene.

Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF): An optical method that measures loss of fluorescence in demineralised or porous enamel to detect early lesions and evaluate restoration or sealant integrity.

Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH): A qualitative enamel defect affecting one or more first permanent molars and often incisors, characterised by demarcated opacities and predisposition to post-eruptive breakdown.

Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT): An online adaptation of CBT delivered via digital modules with therapist support, used to reduce dental phobia and associated anxiety in children and adolescents.

Chemo-mechanical caries removal (CMCR): A minimally invasive technique using chemical agents to soften infected dentine followed by manual excavation, preserving healthy tooth structure and often reducing the need for local anaesthesia.

References

1. Detection of pit and fissure sealant microleakage using quantitative light-induced fluorescence technology: an in vitro study. Scientific Reports (2024).
2. Prevalence and clinical characteristics of molar-incisor hypomineralization in Syrian children: a cross-sectional study. Scientific Reports (2023).
3. Effect of age-related extended high frequency hearing loss on the subjective impressions of dental drill noise. Scientific Reports (2024).
4. Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Dental or Injection Phobia: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research (2024).
5. Efficacy of antiseptics and chemomechanical methods for dentin caries lesions: A systematic review with GRADE approach. Frontiers in Oral Health (2023).
6. Diagnosis and Assessment of Dental Caries Using Novel Bioactive Caries Detecting Dye Solution. Biomedicines (2023).