Pedodontics, also spelled paedodontics, dental specialty that deals with the care of children’s teeth. The pedodontist is extensively concerned with prevention, which includes instruction in proper diet, use of fluoride, and practice of oral hygiene. The pedodontist’s routine practice deals basically with caries (tooth decay) but includes influencing tooth alignment. Lengthy treatment may be required to correct incipient abnormalities in tooth position. Braces or other correctional devices may be used.

The practice of dentistry involves preventing, diagnosing, and treating oral disease, as well as correcting deformities of the jaws, teeth, and oral cavity.

Pediatric dentistry, analogous to pediatrics in medicine, is concerned with the dental care of children and adolescents.

The pedodontist needs patience and a basic knowledge of children’s behavioral patterns, as well as a knowledge of the effects on the mouth of physical and mental disorders.