How We Treat Your Child’s Cavity
When a child has a cavity, treatment is crucial for avoiding infection, premature tooth loss, and other complications. Fortunately, our team can offer treatment in one visit with a lifelike dental filling. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about treating your child’s cavity in only one visit!
When to Bring Your Child in for a Visit
Kids should see the dentist for the first time at around age one, which involves a simple knee-to-knee lap exam. Starting at about age two, kids need an exam at least once every six months for a checkup and cleaning, so we can watch for issues that threaten little smiles, and offer treatment when necessary. The cleaning procedure allows us to remove gingivitis and cavity-causing plaque buildup. If we find decayed areas, we will offer a dental filling to treat the issue and restore health and beauty to your child’s smile in only one visit.
Placing a Dental Filling
The process starts with our team administering a local anesthetic to the area being treated, so your little one stays comfortable. If you have a child with anxiety or special needs that makes dental care a difficult process for them, we could discuss sedation to help your kid enter a calm and relaxed state, with little to no memory of the procedure. We then carefully remove decay from the tooth and thoroughly clean the surfaces. We prepare the filling material, a metal-free composite resin, shading it to ensure it blends with the tooth. The material bonds with the tooth and can stay in place for years to come. We then polish the tooth for a bright appearance. The process takes a single visit and helps prevent infection or other complications that threaten the stability of your child’s aching tooth.
Preventing Cavities
Our team also believes in cavity prevention, offering care designed to keep tooth decay at bay so your little one avoids the need for a filling or crown. For example, ensuring each of your little one’s checkup and cleaning visits, our team will apply a fluoride varnish in a topical gel form to strengthen the outer enamel and ensure your kid’s protective layer stays strong. We also have dental sealants, which we apply to the rear teeth, which are often difficult for kids to reach and clean when they brush and floss. The layers prevent cavities from occurring there, and can stay in place for up to ten years in some cases.
If you have any questions about diagnosing and treating tooth decay in little smiles, then contact our team today.
Speak With Your Dallas, TX, Pediatric Dentist About Restorative Dentistry
If you want to make sure your kids enjoy healthy and comfortable smiles, we invite you to contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Children's Dental Services