Your child's teeth deserve a gentle expert
Most children grow their first tooth by 6 months. Yet most Karachi families wait until there is pain before visiting a dentist. By then, what could have been a simple cleaning has become a filling — or worse, an extraction. We would like to change that for your family.
Dr. Saad Irfan
MSc (Sheffield) · BDS · 15+ Years
Why milk teeth matter more than most parents realise
Many parents believe milk teeth — also called primary teeth or deciduous teeth — are temporary and unimportant. This is one of the most common dental myths we hear at the clinic. The truth is more nuanced.
Your child's 20 primary teeth do much more than bite and chew. They hold space in the jawbone for the 32 permanent teeth that follow. They guide the jaw's growth. They are essential for learning speech sounds. And they directly affect your child's nutrition — because a child in dental pain often stops eating properly.
Early childhood caries — dental decay in children under 6 — is the most common chronic disease in Pakistani children. It is also almost entirely preventable with simple, early care.
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Space holding for permanent teeth
When a milk tooth is lost too early from decay or injury, the teeth next to it slowly drift into the empty space. When the permanent tooth tries to erupt, there is no room — causing crowding, overlapping, and the need for braces later.
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Speech and language development
Front teeth are critical for forming sounds like "s", "f", "v", and "th". Children who lose front teeth early often develop speech patterns that require correction by a speech therapist.
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Jaw bone and facial structure
Teeth stimulate jawbone growth through chewing. Missing teeth reduce this stimulation, affecting facial development during a critical window between ages 3 and 12.
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Self-confidence and school performance
Studies link chronic dental pain in children to reduced school attendance, difficulty concentrating, and lower confidence in social situations. Healthy teeth are part of healthy childhood.
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Bacteria can spread to permanent teeth
An infected milk tooth sits directly above the developing permanent tooth. Bacteria from an untreated abscess can permanently damage the permanent tooth before it even erupts.
Pediatric dental treatments at Dr. Saad's clinic
Every treatment below is performed with a child-first approach — we only proceed when your child is comfortable and ready.
Children's Dental Check-up
A full examination of your child's teeth, gums, bite, and jaw development. We assess eruption patterns and catch problems before they become painful or expensive.
Fluoride Varnish Treatment
A professionally applied fluoride varnish painted onto your child's teeth in under two minutes. Strengthens enamel and reduces cavity risk by up to 43%. Recommended every 6 months.
Fissure Sealants
A thin plastic coating applied to the deep grooves of back teeth (molars). Impossible to clean with a toothbrush — sealants seal them shut, preventing up to 80% of childhood cavities in back teeth.
Milk Tooth Fillings
When a cavity develops, we remove only the decayed portion and restore the tooth with a tooth-coloured composite filling. No drilling before the tooth is fully numb. Your child will not feel pain — only pressure.
Space Maintainers
When a milk tooth is lost earlier than expected, a space maintainer — a small wire device — holds the gap open so the permanent tooth can erupt into the correct position.
Pulpotomy (Baby Root Canal)
When decay reaches the inner pulp of a milk tooth, a pulpotomy removes only the infected pulp from the crown — preserving the tooth and its roots until the permanent tooth is ready.
Stainless Steel Crowns
For severely damaged milk teeth, a stainless steel crown covers the entire tooth and restores its function. The most durable restoration for primary teeth — protects until the tooth naturally falls out.
Milk Tooth Extraction
When a tooth cannot be saved, we extract it gently under local anaesthesia. The area is fully numb before any instrument is used. We discuss space maintainers immediately afterward if needed.
Early Orthodontic Screening
Dr. Saad recommends an orthodontic screening at age 7. This is not the time for braces — it is the ideal time to identify jaw discrepancies, crowding tendencies, and habits like thumb-sucking.
What your child needs at every stage
Children's dental needs change dramatically between age 1 and age 16. Here is exactly what to expect — and what to do — at each stage.
Infants & Toddlers (0–2 years): The First Tooth Years
Most children grow their first tooth (usually a lower front tooth) between 4 and 7 months. This is when dental care begins — not when pain starts.
- Schedule a first dental visit within 6 months of the first tooth appearing or by the first birthday — whichever comes first
- Clean your baby's gums with a soft damp cloth twice a day, even before teeth appear
- Once teeth appear, use a soft infant toothbrush with a rice-grain sized amount of fluoride toothpaste
- Never put your baby to sleep with a bottle of milk, juice, or sweetened water — this causes nursing bottle caries, a rapid and severe form of early childhood decay
- Ask Dr. Saad about fluoride varnish — it can be applied from as early as 6 months of age
Your child is scared of the dentist. We have heard this 10,000 times.
Dental anxiety in children is not a behaviour problem. It is a completely rational response to an unfamiliar environment where adults hold metallic instruments near a sensitive part of your body. We understand this.
At Dr. Saad's clinic, every child is treated using the Tell-Show-Do technique — the gold standard approach in pediatric dentistry worldwide. In 15 years of practice, this approach has worked for virtually every anxious child we have seen.
“I have never forced a child to open their mouth. If a child is not ready, we stop, we talk, we try again. A child who leaves our clinic without crying will come back next time without fear. That is the real outcome we are measuring.”
— Dr. Saad Irfan, MSc (Sheffield)
of our young patients complete their treatment without distress — and come back willingly for the next visit
The Tell-Show-Do Method
How every visit with a nervous child is handled
We explain in simple words first
Before any instrument enters the mouth, Dr. Saad explains exactly what will happen. "This little machine makes a sound like a motorbike. It tickles your tooth. Want to hear it?" Children fear the unknown. Remove the unknown, and the fear shrinks.
We demonstrate before we use
Every instrument is shown to the child — and often demonstrated on a glove or the dentist's own hand first. The child sees, hears, and even touches the instrument before it goes near their mouth.
We only act when the child is ready
Treatment begins only once the child gives a nod or a thumbs-up. The child stays in control throughout — they can stop at any time with a raised hand. This control is what prevents panic.
We celebrate the win
Every visit ends with genuine, specific praise. "You were incredibly brave when we counted your teeth." Not generic — specific. Children remember what they were praised for and repeat it next time.
Children's dental treatment costs in Karachi
We believe every family deserves to know the cost before sitting in the chair. These are our starting prices — the exact amount is confirmed during consultation before any treatment begins.
| Treatment | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Dental check-up | PKR 1,500 |
| Fluoride varnish | PKR 2,000 |
| Fissure sealants | PKR 1,500 |
| Milk tooth filling | PKR 2,500 |
| Milk tooth extraction | PKR 2,000 |
| Pulpotomy | On consultation |
| Space maintainer | On consultation |
| Orthodontic screening | PKR 1,500 |
All prices are confirmed before treatment begins. No surprises. Payment can be made via cash, bank transfer, or Easypaisa. For complex treatment plans, Dr. Saad discusses a phased approach to manage cost across visits.
Not sure what your child needs?Book a check-up and we will tell you exactly — with no pressure to proceed with anything that day.
Book a Check-upYour child's first visit — step by step
Most parents are more nervous about the first visit than their child. Here is exactly what happens when you arrive.
Arrival and the Welcome Conversation (5 min)
We greet your child at their level — sitting down, not standing over them. Dr. Saad will talk to your child about something completely unrelated to teeth first: their school, their favourite cartoon, anything. This is intentional. It builds the relationship before the dental chair appears.
The Chair Invitation (5 min)
Your child is invited — never told — to sit in the chair. It is described as a "spaceship seat that goes up and down." The light above is a "sunshine lamp." This is not a silly game; it is evidence-based language that reduces anxiety in young children.
Counting the Teeth (10 min)
The first examination is framed as "counting your teeth." A small mirror is used to count teeth — nothing invasive, nothing sharp. We look for decay, eruption issues, spacing concerns, and gum health. Parents sit nearby the entire time.
Findings and Plan Discussion (10 min)
Dr. Saad explains what was found in simple language — to both you and your child. If treatment is needed, it is explained, priced, and scheduled. If everything is fine, you leave with prevention advice and a 6-month recall appointment.
The Celebration (2 min)
Every child who completes their first visit receives specific, genuine praise for what they did well. This creates a positive memory associated with the dental clinic — the most important outcome of the first visit.
How to prepare your child for their first visit
What you say before the appointment matters as much as what happens during it.
Say these things
- "The dentist will count your teeth and check that they are all healthy."
- "If anything feels strange, you can raise your hand and everything stops immediately."
- "I will be sitting right next to you the whole time."
- "The dentist is kind and gentle. He is on your side."
Please avoid saying these
- "It won't hurt" — creates a focus on pain before any pain is mentioned.
- "Be brave" — implies there is something to be brave about.
- "The dentist will give you an injection if you don't brush your teeth" — creates lasting dental phobia.
- Sharing your own negative dental experiences before the appointment.
Questions parents ask us most
What else we offer for your family
Scaling & Polishing
Professional cleaning for parents too
Braces & Orthodontics
When your child needs alignment
Tooth Extraction
Gentle extraction for all ages
Teeth Filling
Composite & amalgam restorations
Emergency Dentist
Knocked tooth or sudden pain
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Your child's healthy smile starts with one visit
Book a consultation today. We will examine your child gently, tell you exactly what we find, and give you a clear plan — with no pressure to proceed with anything on the day.
DHA Phase 5 & Phase 8, Karachi · Mon–Sat: 10am–8pm · No referral needed