An interview with Martin Katz, a dentist at the swiss smile clinic, on the particularities of paediatric dentistry and orthodontics, how to preserve teeth and on oral hygiene.
Treatment methods
What are the most common treatments that you and your team carry out?
Martin Katz: The most common problem is still tooth decay. Today, however, cavities can in many cases be detected at a very early stage.
What do you do when a child is brought to you?
Parents are fully responsible for brushing young children’s teeth. Annual dental check-ups are essential. I talk with the parents and explain the importance of hygiene and dental care. Another aim of these appointments is to monitor the bite of pre-school children – a visit should be made in good time, because putting it off can later cause problems with tooth alignment.
Oral hygiene
How is oral hygiene among children and teenagers in general?
On the whole, oral hygiene is at a very high level. Admittedly, young people sometimes neglect dental care.
How do you convince a teenager that brushing their teeth matters?
I ask the girls whether they think boys will like them if they don’t brush their teeth. And I ask the boys whether they think they will be able to kiss a girl with unbrushed teeth and bad breath. It works.
Paediatric orthodontics and dentistry
Let’s talk about orthodontics: in the past, almost every child wore a dental plate. What about today?
Plates and braces are widespread today. Technologies and materials, however, have improved considerably in recent years.
For many families, tooth alignment systems are too great an expense. Can you offer solutions in such cases?
Yes. Our company, swiss smile, does exactly that. For example, braces can be paid for in instalments. We take this step so that every child who needs their bite corrected has the chance to have their teeth straightened. Teeth and mouth form an important part of facial harmony.
A perennial topic: how do you take away young patients’ fear of the dentist?
We welcome the children and take plenty of time to explain everything to them. Sometimes, though, there is no alternative – when a child will not cooperate or a large amount of complex work is needed, we carry out the treatment under general anaesthesia. The best moment for me is when a child who was shy at first comes out of the treatment and tells me that it didn’t hurt and wasn’t bad at all.
