Has your Columbia or Eldersburg pediatric dentist told you your child will need a dental crown? Then check out this short blog post to know exactly what to expect.
Why Do Kids Need Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are caps used to restore a damaged tooth. Even if it’s just a baby tooth, it’s crucial to make sure it doesn’t fall out before it’s naturally ready to do so.
Baby teeth assist in your child’s development. They need their teeth to learn how to speak and chew their food. These primary teeth also keep the space open on the arch, so the adult teeth have enough room to grow in properly.
Premature baby tooth loss could result in teeth alignment issues later on, which may need correcting through orthodontic measures like braces.
How Are Child Dental Crowns Placed?
Pediatric dental crowns are usually put on in a few steps:
- Consultation and treatment: First, your pediatric dentist will take a look at the child’s tooth to determine the right treatment and whether dental crowns are right for them;
- Tooth preparation: After the treatment, the dentist will gently resize the tooth so the dental crown can fit properly on top;
- Tooth impression: If you want your child to have a custom-made crown, then the dentist will take an impression of the tooth and send it to a lab. There are also predesigned crowns available, usually made from stainless steel.
- Temporary crown: If you opt for a custom crown, the dentist puts on a temporary crown to protect the tooth until the permanent one is ready.
- Crown cementing: The final product is permanently cemented on the child’s primary tooth, and done!
What Happens After My Child Gets a Dental Crown?
The dental crown should protect the child’s baby tooth from damage like chipping, cracking, or even cavities. But to make sure it can do its job, it needs some help.
Caring for a pediatric crown involves:
- Daily brushing and flossing
- Cutting back on sugars (like fruit juices and sweets)
- Eating more fresh vegetables and fruits
- Using a small amount of fluoride toothpaste
- Not chewing on hard objects
- Taking the child to the dentist every six months for dental cleanings, etc.
The pediatric dental crown is easy to maintain and will usually fall out with the baby tooth when the time comes. If it won’t budge, don’t worry. Just bring your child in for a quick appointment, and the dental crown can be removed.
How Tiny Tooth Pediatric Dentistry Can Help
Pediatric crowns can be useful to treat large cavities, chips and cracks, broken or worn-down baby teeth, and more. Let Dr. Su Kim check out the little one's tooth to see if they can benefit from a pediatric crown.
Request a visit to Tiny Tooth Pediatric Dentistry online or call us at (443) 832-6111 to find out more about pediatric dental crowns.