Why Kids Sometimes Need Dental Crowns: What Parents Want to Know
Dental Crowns—The Tooth’s Hard Hat
Though we want more than anything to keep our children’s teeth in tip-top shape, things sometimes happen. Those daily dental habits make a large impact on your child’s overall oral health, but sometimes genetics manage to throw a curveball your way.
If this is the case for your child, there are ways to restore your child’s oral function. One of these advancements in dental technology is the dental crown. Think of this as a permanent hard hat that is placed onto a child’s damaged tooth to both protect it from further damage and make the tooth work as well as it did before, if not better.
Getting a dental crown is a common procedure for adults, but did you know they are sometimes necessary for children as well?
Common Reasons Kids Need Crowns
There are multiple reasons why a dental crown might be the best option for your child. One of the most common reasons is tooth decay. Sometimes, when tooth decay is extensive enough, it can’t be fixed with a simple filling. Once the decay has been removed, the crown helps restore function. With its help, your kiddo’s teeth will be as good as new!
Another common reason a child might need a dental crown is injury. Kids have a tendency to be crazy at times. They often have no fear—even when they’re perched on top of the monkey bars. But sometimes, even if your child is the most careful person on that playground, accidents happen. As a result of the accident, if a tooth is broken or severely cracked, a dental crown can be what’s needed to get their smile back on track.
Occasionally, children need something known as pulp therapy. This is the children’s version of a root canal. Pulp therapy is typically done when there is enough decay or infection in the tooth that it needs to be removed. After this, a crown is necessary to bring that tooth back to its former glory.
Benefits of Dental Crowns for Children
It’s completely normal to feel a whirlwind of emotions when you hear that your child needs a dental crown. Trust us when we say you are not alone! As you navigate the process, remember the end goal.
Dental crowns are important to maintain your child’s oral function. Sometimes, the damage is severe enough to affect a child’s ability to chew or even speak. With the help of dental crowns, this damage can be repaired, if not avoided entirely.
If your child needs a dental crown, this could be helpful to protect the remaining tooth underneath. Without it, the damage could eventually spread to neighboring teeth, the root, or even the jaw itself. It’s better to preserve what parts of the tooth remain than lose it altogether. With the help of a crown, it can preserve the space where the adult tooth will eventually be.
Types of Crowns for Kids
Did you know that crowns can be placed on any tooth? Because of this, there are multiple kinds of crowns available for children.
First comes the stainless steel crowns. These are highly visible, as they don’t match the rest of the teeth, but they are sturdy. They are best used for the rear teeth because of their silver color.
Porcelain crowns are also used on children’s teeth. These are typically best for those front teeth, as they can be color-matched to the rest of your child’s smile. With these crowns, no one will be the wiser that they have dental crowns!
The type of crown that suits your child best varies greatly. You can trust the staff here at Spinnaker Pediatric Dentistry to help you choose the best option for your child’s specific case.
The Crown Placement Process
If your child needs to get dental crowns, it makes sense that you want to know the ins and outs of the placement process.
If your child is still young, or has a hard time sitting still for very long, the process is often done under general anesthesia. This ensures everyone is completely comfortable and that your child won’t be squirming every which way. If they are older, the process can be done using local sedation. This way they are still awake, but they won’t feel a thing. We promise that they will be comfortable throughout.
Once all of the decay is removed from the tooth, the dentist will shape it and get it ready for the dental crown. Once this is done, the crown is cemented to the prepared tooth during the same visit. This way it is completely stable and ready to last your child until their adult teeth come in!
Dental crowns keep teeth in peak condition.
There can be a lot of things that go through a parent’s mind when they learn that their child needs a dental crown. If this is the case for you, be sure to take a deep breath. You are far from alone! Dental crowns are incredibly important to keep a child’s oral health in peak condition.
Remember, you can always talk to the dental team about your child’s options. Schedule an appointment today, and together we can create the perfect plan for your child.
