Could a Dental Crown Help Correct Your Kid’s Smile?

Posted February 23, 2016

Many parents don’t realize that adults aren’t the only ones that may require restorative dental treatment. Even children whose permanent teeth have not yet fully erupted, may struggle with issues like a dental cavity, or worse, an infection. In some cases the dentist may recommend a root canal, or a pulpotomy. But in many cases he or she may also recommend a dental crown. Crowns can protect fragile teeth, and help prevent the need for an extraction or prosthetic tooth. So if you or your child has gone through extensive restorative treatment on a tooth, or needs to have some completed soon, talk to the dentist about the benefits of following that procedure up with a dental crown.

When Are Crowns the Answer?

Dental crowns can be made of a variety of materials, including porcelain and metal. The purpose of a crown is to help protect a tooth that has been made fragile by either decay, trauma, or an infection.

Cavities, for instance, can lead to erosion that threatens the loss of a tooth. A crown, however, helps seal it against further decay or even infection. This is why they’re also used, frequently, after root canal treatment.

Crowns can also be used to protect teeth that were harmed during a sports or other injury, resulting in a chip or crack that might worsen over time, with the wear caused by chewing. Crowns bear the brunt of that force, protecting the tooth within.

So, if you have restorative treatment scheduled to correct a dental problem, like a progressed cavity, infection, or crack, be sure to talk to your dentist about the potential benefits of affixing a dental crown after treatment. That way the smile will look and function at its best, even after the damage that has been done.