What Are Dental Fillings?
When decay erodes tooth enamel and creates a small hole, or cavity, in the tooth, a dentist can intervene and take preventative measures before the decay worsens and becomes more serious.
A dental filling is used when a patient has one or more cavities, and a dentist removes the decayed tooth material and fills the space with a filling material to protect it.
Common dental filling materials are gold, porcelain, silver mixed with other metals, or tooth-colored fillings. All Kids Dental in Suffolk, VA, is proud to offer tooth-colored fillings, so your child won’t need to feel self-conscious when they smile.
Tooth-colored fillings are also known as composite fillings or white fillings, and are a specialized blend of ceramic and plastic that blends in and mimics natural tooth enamel. This material is just as strong and durable as traditional metals.
Dental fillings can also be used when teeth become cracked or broken in an accident.
Treating baby teeth with cavities is important, as healthy baby teeth are placeholders for your child’s permanent teeth.
What Are Dental Crowns?
If a tooth gets damaged from serious decay, a dentist may recommend a dental crown. A crown is a type of dental cap that completely covers a tooth when traditional fillings would not create adequate protection.
When it comes to damaged or decayed baby teeth, crowns are the best choice. Extracting baby teeth due to tooth decay is not a good option, as it might create misalignment, tipping, or blockage, and even crowding concerns when your child’s permanent teeth come in.
A dental crown is a much better, safer choice that considers the long-term of your child’s orthodontic health and wellness. A crown restoration ensures that your child aids in the healthy development of your child’s jawbone and muscles.
What Can We Expect When My Child Gets A Dental Filling or Crown?
Before your child gets a dental filling or crown, our trained pediatric experts will first apply a topical sedative cream or a numbing injection, depending on the severity of the cavity. If your child would benefit from being calmed by laughing gas, that is an option as well.
If your child is getting a dental filling, the procedure is as follows. A slow-speed drill removes the decayed portion of the tooth. The healthy part of the tooth is then prepped for the composite filling. This composite resin is poured into the hole, then expertly smoothed to blend right in with your child’s smile, and cured with a special light to dry.
The entire process can be started and completed within the same visit so that your child can enjoy the rest of their day afterward.
If your child is getting a dental crown, then our pediatric dentists will use a handpiece to remove the decay and shape the tooth for optimal crown placement.
Our dentist will fill a tooth-shaped shell with composite, and then harden the mixture with a special light. The plastic outer shell is removed, leaving a tooth-colored crown in its place.
Your pediatric expert will then prescribe medication to help aid the soreness in the 24 hours following the procedure. Be careful to discourage your child from eating while their mouth is still sore from numbing agents, to keep from accidentally biting part of their mouth. If you want to learn more about tooth-colored fillings and dental crowns, and how they might benefit your child’s dental health, call our pediatric dental experts at All Kids Dental in Suffolk, VA today!
