Baby teeth may be temporary, but they are important. They are essential to the eventual eruption of your little one’s permanent teeth. Baby teeth also help your child learn to speak and be able to chew. If your child has a badly decayed primary tooth (baby tooth), extraction is not the only option. At Boon Dental, we use stainless steel crowns to help save baby teeth. In this article, we tell you all about them.
What Are Stainless Steel Crowns For Baby Teeth?
These stainless steel restorations can be used in cases where a child’s primary molar tooth has experienced a significant loss of structure. This break down of tooth structure may be as a result of a few things, including:
- Tooth Decay
- Hypoplasia (a developmental defect that results in inadequate enamel)
- Trauma
A stainless steel crown is custom-made to fit over your child’s remaining tooth structure. Its purpose is to prevent further damage. The use of stainless steel means the restoration is strong, lasting and easy to maintain. Stainless steel crowns for baby teeth are made to last the life of the baby tooth. Stainless steel crowns aren’t only for baby teeth. They are used for permanent teeth too.
Traditionally, we use stainless steel crowns due to their long clinical history and reliability. They are more affordable too, in comparison with alternatives, especially given their longevity. Zirconia crowns are a newer generation of dental crowns. They are tooth coloured and so used more often with adults. This is usually for aesthetic purposes, given they restore permanent teeth. Should your child have a known nickel allergy, zirconia crowns are a good option to consider.
The Process For Placing Crowns on Baby Teeth
Placing crowns on baby teeth is a routine procedure and a straightforward process. Firstly, your child’s tooth will have all decay or compromised tooth structure removed. Your dentist will then take an impression of your child’s tooth for the making of their custom crown.
Once the crown is ready, it gets placed over the remaining tooth structure and cemented into place. Your dentist will then work with your child to ensure the fit is comfortable and their bite is not affected.
Immediately post-procedure, your child is likely to experience numbness around the area for a few hours. So, it’s a good idea they avoid eating solid or sticky things that need chewing, in the interim. This prevents them from biting their cheeks or tongue. It also keeps the freshly bonded crown from dislodging.
Moving forward, your child’s crowned baby tooth does not need any special care outside of general good oral hygiene practices.
Preventing Tooth Decay In Children
Tooth decay is preventable. Yet, a large percentage of school-aged children around the world suffer from it enough to need treatment. As a parent, there are many things you can do to promote good oral health in your children and avoid them needing restorations.
Prevention is always better than cure. So, an oral hygiene regime should begin for your child as soon as possible. This can include wiping down their gums with a clean gauze in the first instance. They can then graduate to having their baby teeth brushed with a toothbrush suitable for children once their first teeth appear.
The Australian Dental Association recommends that you begin using a fluoride toothpaste as soon as your child gets their first tooth. For children under the age of three, a little smear the size of a rice grain is adequate. Between the ages of three to six, a pea-sized amount will be suitable. The amount of toothpaste used for children should be relative to how much control they have over not swallowing it.
Baby bottle decay is a very real thing. Avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle, especially if it contains a sugary drink. Ensure your child has a balanced diet consisting of nutritious foods and only enjoys sugary treats in moderation.
Last, but not least – it’s essential to ensure your child maintains regular dental check-ups. This means you have the support of a dentist helping you monitor your child’s oral health. The next best thing after prevention is early detection. A lot of dental issues can be easily resolved if detected early enough. This saves major dental issues from occurring and the need for major treatment down the track.
How Boon Dental Can Help
Our Ropes Crossing and Wentworth point family dental practices have a lot of experience working with children. Our gentle dentists are well-versed when it comes to providing oral care for little patients. We aim to ensure their dental experiences with us are positive ones.
Is your child overdue a dental check-up? Please contact us to schedule an appointment.