What is Restorative Dentistry?
Restorative dental services are a common necessity for many people, including children. We utilize the latest techniques and protocols to ensure efficient and effective treatment so that children have positive experiences during and after their procedures.
When Restorations are Necessary:
Dental restorations are necessary when decay or defects are present. The dentist will diagnose any concerns and determine when and what treatment is necessary.
When restorations are necessary, you can count on our team at Valley Pediatric Dentistry to provide excellent oral care in a welcoming setting for children.
Fillings
Tooth-colored fillings or composite restorations are a common treatment in helping to maintain the oral health of your children. A special dental toothbrush (i.e. a dental handpiece/drill) is used to remove the decay. The tooth is cleaned and filled with a tooth-colored filling material (composite) to match your child’s tooth.
Many times nitrous oxide inhalation or “laughing gas” is recommended for use during dental treatment to help your child feel comfortable. The filling procedure is completed with minimal discomfort where “tooth sleepy juice” or local anesthetic numbing is administered prior to having the cavity removed. More information on Nitrous Oxide can be found here.
Dental crowns for children
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped covering cemented to the tooth for the purpose of restoring the tooth to its original shape and function. Crowns are used in pediatric dentistry for various reasons. Crowns are recommended by dentists when it is necessary to repair and restore a baby tooth found to be extensively decayed, a tooth fractured due to trauma, or a primary tooth which has not developed correctly.
Crowns are much more durable than fillings, and usually, last until the baby tooth falls out at about age 12.
Crown options:
- Stainless Steel Crowns- The ADA recommended option in pediatric dentistry. These are what many people call “silver” crowns. These shiny silver crowns are very strong and durable.
- Stainless Steel Crowns With White Facings- Sometimes, the front teeth may also need a steel crown. To make these look more esthetic, stainless steel crowns are available with a pre-veneered plastic white facing. These crowns look better since they appear “white” from the front.
- Composite Strip Crowns or Resin Crowns- Strip crowns are entirely made of composite “white” filling material made to look like the natural tooth structure.
Nerve Treatments
When cavities are deep enough, extending to the nerve of the tooth, pulp therapy may be indicated to alleviate pain and properly restore the tooth. In our office, our dentists perform several different types of pulp therapy on primary teeth, depending on the severity of the decay. In some cases, a full coverage crown may be appropriate after pulp therapy to protect the structural integrity of the tooth.
When pulp therapy is indicated on a permanent toothy, we refer such treatment to an endodontist. An endodontist is a dental specialist who has received an advanced degree in specifically treating dental problems associated with the nerve and blood supply of teeth.
Tooth Extractions For Kids
There are certain occasions when a child will need to have a tooth extracted.
Dental extractions are a surgical procedure where a dentist or an oral surgeon removes a tooth from the mouth due to being over retained, large decay present, or an infection.
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)
Silver Diamine Fluoride is an FDA-approved antibiotic liquid clinically applied to control active dental caries and prevent further progression of disease. While the ideal way to treat teeth with decay is by removing the decay and placing a restoration, this alternative treatment allows us to stop decay with noninvasive methods, particularly with young children that have baby teeth who would be unable to complete the typical treatment.
Treatment with Silver Diamine Fluoride will NOT eliminate the need for restorative dentistry to repair function or aesthetics but has been effective at the prevention of further decay. Dental restorations may include but are not limited to dental fillings, root canal therapy, and/or crowns.
Have any more questions? You can contact us! We can provide you with any additional information you may have on this topic or anything else you would like to know about your child’s oral health.
