When Your Child’s Smile Needs Restoration

Posted August 12, 2020

For the most part, consistent dental care for children isn’t typically complex. Like dental care for adults, the most frequent need is to practice good dental hygiene and receive preventive care on a consistent basis. However, children can sometimes develop problems with their healthy, natural tooth structure, and when they do, it’s important to address them as soon as possible to preserve their healthy smiles. Today, we examine a few times when your child’s smile may need restorative treatment in order to stop a problem from getting worse, and why it’s important for your child to receive treatment as soon as possible.

When a tooth develops a cavity

Cavities are among the most common concerns for smiles of all ages, but when they develop in your child’s tooth, it could cause additional problems for their oral health. A cavity is a hole in the tooth structure that develops due to the structure’s erosion – a condition known as tooth decay. For adults, this poses the threat that the tooth structure may become completely eroded if the condition isn’t treated as soon as possible. For children, the same threat is compounded by the fact that their permanent teeth and dental ridges have not yet fully developed. Treating your child’s cavity is important to preventing further problems, and if addressed early, we can often restore your child’s tooth with a conservative, tooth-colored filling.

When a tooth is damaged

Damage to your child’s tooth structure can occur for a wide range of reasons, from accidental trauma to constant teeth-grinding (bruxism), and much more. When your child’s tooth is damaged, any additional pressure (such as from biting and chewing) can quickly cause the damage to grow worse. In extreme cases, a tooth can become so damaged that it becomes a threat to the rest of your child’s oral health, or it may be lost or have to be extracted. Fixing a cracked or fractured tooth as soon as possible, such as with a custom-made dental crown, can help your child preserve their healthy smile for life.

When damage or decay become severe

Treating a case of tooth decay or damage to your child’s tooth structure is the only way to stop the problem from getting worse. However, in some cases, the condition can become severe before it’s successfully treated, making the need for restorative care even more pressing. Fortunately, we offer a range of treatments that can help save children’s teeth from severe oral health concerns, such as personalized pulpotomy (a conservative version of root canal treatment).

Learn how we can restore your child’s smile

When your child’s tooth or smile is compromised, the right restorative treatment could be essential to preserving their long-term oral health. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.