Pediatric Dentistry Stainless-Steel Crowns for Decayed Teeth

Pediatric dentistry is a field that deals specifically with the care of infants, children’s, and teenagers' teeth. More often than not, children experience a need for stainless-steel dental crowns. These crowns are most commonly used in pediatric dentistry due to their durability. When a child has badly decayed teeth, they should be seen by a pediatric dentist in order to have their teeth repaired. Through stainless-steel crown placement by the pediatric dentist, the child’s teeth can easily be restored.

In this blog post, you will learn more about the use of stainless-steel crowns in pediatric dentistry. If you are considering restoring your children’s badly decayed teeth, the following information will be quite helpful. 

Stainless-steel crowns in pediatric dentistry

Pediatric dentistry focuses solely on helping younger patients maintain healthy gums and teeth. Sometimes, sugar consumption habits or poor oral hygiene routines get in the way of that goal. Fortunately, stainless-steel dental crowns are available and can restore a child’s teeth.

Stainless-steel crowns are dental caps that are made of stainless-steel materials. The cap goes directly over a tooth, and it is custom created to fit the tooth that is in need. Pediatric dentists use these types of dental crowns frequently for children who have badly decayed teeth because the durability of the material ensures that further damage is not done. Additionally, the stainless steel-covered baby teeth will later fall out and be replaced by adult teeth. This makes it an ideal temporary fix, as most children do not want to have silver teeth for the entirety of their lives. 

What can stainless-steel crowns do?

When a pediatric dentist places a stainless-steel crown on a badly decayed tooth, the crown will completely cover the damaged areas, enabling renewal and restoration. Stainless steel is an incredibly durable material that will halt the decaying process. The crown will cover the entirety of the damaged tooth, which allows it to have a fresh seal and surface. Once the crown is placed, the child can get back to their normal habits, such as eating. 

The placement process

Understanding the process of getting a stainless-steel dental crown can be helpful. Reviewing the following steps can help prepare children and their parents so that there are no surprises later. 

First, the pediatric dentist will numb the tooth and surrounding area. Next, the dentist will drill out the decayed portions of the tooth so the tooth becomes free of decay. This is done via a dental drill that specializes in removing infections. Once the tooth no longer has any decay, the pediatric dentist will thoroughly clean out the cavity of the tooth. This part is crucial because it keeps out bacteria moving forward.

Lastly, a temporary dental crown made of composite resin will be placed. Composite resin is a temporary material commonly used for dental appliances. A few days later, at another appointment, the pediatric dentist will go back in and replace the temporary crown with the permanent dental crown made of stainless steel. 

After the permanent stainless-steel crown is placed, the dentist will make a few advisements, which are as follows:

• Avoid foods that are sticky, chewy, or extremely hard, as this can dislodge the dental crown
• Brush twice a day or after every meal, and floss at least once a day
• Be gentle with the area surrounding the recently worked-on tooth, as there might be slight sensitivity for a couple of days
• Stay away from excessive consumption of sugary and acidic foods, as these are often the reason that crowns are needed in the first place

Following these recommendations can go a long way toward keeping the child's teeth in good and healthy shape. 

Contact your pediatric dentist today

Children’s teeth can often get cavities, which can lead to severe decay. Thankfully, pediatric dentistry can provide stainless-steel crowns to teeth that are badly decayed. These crowns can restore and renew the tooth that was damaged.

If you have questions about the use of stainless-steel crowns in pediatric dentistry, please do reach out to your pediatric dentist’s office today. The trained professional would be happy to go over the crown process with you and address any questions or concerns that you may have. You can also schedule a consultation to simply talk about the procedure with the dentist. This can also be a stress-free introduction to the dental office for your child if they have never visited before. Schedule an appointment today and offer your child a restored smile.

Request an appointment here: https://www.hvkidsmiles.com or call Hudson Valley Pediatric Dentistry at (845) 363-4177 for an appointment in our Middletown office.

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