How Dental Crowns Protect A Child’s Teeth

Posted May 21, 2024

We’ve recently discussed how we treat tooth decay in little smiles with a filling, stopping decay in one visit. But what if your child has more severe decay, or a damaged tooth? To restore function to the smile, we may recommend a complete restoration. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about our dental crowns.

The Dental Crown

A dental crown is a full restoration that once in place, covers the visible portion of a tooth. This can help address concerns too severe for a filling or bonding procedure. Our team will often use stainless-steel options for the side and rear teeth, which must endure greater levels of bite forces and pressure on a daily basis. The front facing teeth may benefit from NuSmile zirconia, which are designed to look a little more natural and blend better with the smile.

When Kids Need Treatment

When your child chips or cracks a tooth, this is a dental emergency that requires immediate attention. Give us a call, even outside of normal business hours, so we can arrange a time to see your little one. In the meantime, you can offer an over-the-counter pain reliever, and use cloth to stem any bleeding and an ice pack against the face to control swelling. Our team can often repair the issue with a dental crown. In addition, these restorations can be used to improve bite balance and chewing function, address advanced decay, and complete a pulpotomy for an infected tooth.

Attaching a Completed Restoration

How do we place a restoration for your little one? To begin, we will plan the procedure in detail by taking detailed digital images of the smile. We will administer a local numbing agent to the area being treated, and may recommend sedation to help your child enter a calm and relaxed state with little to no memory of the procedure afterward. Once your little one is comfortable, our team will remove structure to make room for it and take detailed images of it. We then ensure the crown will fit comfortably and attach it with a powerful bonding agent. The restoration can stay in place for years! Remember, even if injury or decay occurs in baby teeth, treatment is necessary as the tooth may fall out naturally months or even years beyond the injury, and lack of care could mean the spread of infection and premature tooth loss.

If you have any questions about our dental crowns, then contact our team today.

Do You Have Questions About Our Dental Restoration?

Our team wants to help kids of all ages enjoy strong, healthy smiles free of aches and discomfort! To learn more about how we restore and protect little smiles, then please contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.