Our primary teeth, also known as our baby teeth, have an important role to play in our developing oral health. They are more than just a stand-in for our adult teeth until they arrive. They play a central part in the development of our adult teeth. Retaining them as long as we can make it possible for the jaw to develop properly, with plenty of space for our adult teeth to come in. Despite this, many parents are surprised when their dentist suggests that pediatric crowns are necessary. These restorations serve to preserve your child’s baby teeth for as long as possible, ensuring the healthy development of their adult smile.
Understanding The Value Of Pediatric Crowns And Their Application
Now that your dentist has approached you about your child receiving pediatric crowns, it’s time to make some choices. The first choice is which of the restoration materials available you want to use for your child’s teeth. The most common material used in restorations is a dental composite, a malleable resin that can be colored and shaped to fit your child’s teeth. They are affordable and have no aesthetic impact on your child’s smile. Many dentists are still offering amalgam as an option as well. This material is a blend of a base of mercury mixed with tin, copper, zinc, silver, and a few other metals. They are durable and long-lasting, and the amalgam poses no health risk in its stable form. Once you’ve decided on a material, your dentist will schedule your appointment.
These are the steps to receiving a dental restoration:
- Preparation – Before a restoration can be placed, it’s necessary to remove the decay from the target tooth. The tooth will also have to be shaped in a way that allows it to accept the new restoration.
- Impressions – Once the preparations have been completed, it will be time to take an impression of your child’s teeth. This impression is used to develop the permanent restoration that will be put in place. This is done using an impression putty that hardens to hold the shape of your child’s tooth. This finished dental impression is then sent to a lab for preparation.
- Temporary Crown – Temporary crowns are put in place to protect your child’s fully prepared tooth until the finished restoration arrives. These crowns are held in place using a temporary form of dental cement which can be removed when the permanent restoration arrives. The temporary crown will be removed when this happens.
- Permanent Crown – The permanent crown will be put in place either when it arrives or directly after the preparation stage if no temporary crown is needed. It’s fixed in place using permanent cement that will ensure it remains in place for years to come.
Contact Your Dentist About Pediatric Restorations
Your dentist will happily provide you with all the necessary information for getting a pediatric crown placed. It’s essential to protect the health of our child’s primary teeth so that their oral structures can continue to develop fully. Learn more about this process with a consultation with your dentist.
