As a parent, you’ve probably heard of dental crowns or maybe even got the treatment as an adult, but you may be wondering if it might be an overwhelming procedure for your young child. Fear not! A dental crown is a safe, low-risk restorative treatment often performed on children. Here are some ways pediatric dental crowns differ from regular, adult ones.
It’s Temporary
When your child is faced with a broken tooth or cavities that are too large for fillings, your pediatric dentist may recommend a crown as a treatment. A dental crown is a cap or covering placed over the visible part of the tooth to give the misshapen tooth structure, protect the damaged tooth from further infection, and prevent the spread of bacteria to neighboring teeth, among other things. Children get dental crowns for a lot of the same reasons as adults do, however, the main goal for babies and children is to enforce longevity of the damaged or decayed tooth until it reaches maturity and naturally gives way to permanent teeth.
For Preventive Measure
The benefits of preserving the damaged baby tooth is saving it from being lost prematurely, which can lead to complications best avoided. Losing a baby tooth early can cause misalignment, crowding for permanent teeth, and even impact speech. This could require extensive and costly treatment down the line, including orthodontic care. Furthermore, the health and function of your child’s primary teeth is essential to overall health and key to their development. Placing a crown instead of extracting the baby tooth will allow for the injured tooth the time to grow out until it’s ready to exit, and thus avoid far-reaching consequences. The crown will naturally be removed when the tooth falls out.
Quicker Procedure
The good news for parents is that most often, the procedure is quicker than it is for adults, so children can avoid drawn-out appointments! When adults receive their traditional crowns, it typically requires two visits with the dentist. However, children can usually get their fitting done in a single visit.
At Growing Smiles Pediatric and Family Dentistry, we offer sedation options to make the experience seamless and painless for your young one. If you’d like to learn more, contact us to schedule a consultation!