Preventive care is the utmost goal of pediatric dentistry. Your child’s dental visits should begin by the time they turn one year old to ensure optimal dental health. Milk teeth are, after all, as important as permanent teeth.
However, studies show that 52% of children still suffer a myriad of dental issues despite preventive care, thus the need for restorative dentistry. Restorative dentistry done at a reputable South Bend pediatric dentistry clinic should help promote dental health, protect other teeth, and ensure dental functionality.
Here are some of the common pediatric dental restorations:
Dental Fillings
A filling is used to replace decayed portions of your child’s teeth or prevent further tooth decay. Silver amalgam fillings are durable, affordable, and less sensitive to contamination compared with composite resin ones. However, most dentists prefer using tooth-colored composite fillings because of their aesthetic benefit. Moreover, composite fillings also require less drilling compared with their silver amalgam counterparts.
Dental Crowns
Crowns are used to restore the appearance and function of teeth affected by decay, trauma, and other conditions that compromise a child’s milk teeth. White zirconia, composite strip, stainless steel, and porcelain-fused-to-metal are some of the common types of dental crowns. Stainless steel crowns are used on back teeth while composite strip crowns are ideal for front teeth due to their aesthetic benefit.
Space Maintainers
Premature loss of milk teeth is a prevalent issue. The space left behind following tooth loss can compromise the growth of permanent teeth as well as lead to the development of various orthodontic problems. To prevent this, dentists recommend the use of a space maintainer. This device is composed of a loop and a stainless steel band fitted into the gap. The dentist removes the device at the first sign of permanent tooth eruption.
Dental fillings, crowns, and space maintainers require utmost care to benefit your child. Brushing, flossing, and regular check-ups are vital to the longevity of your child’s dental restorations. When handled well, these restorations can significantly reduce your child’s need for extensive dental treatments in the future.
