It’s a moment of pride. However, cavities are a fact of life for many children. If your pediatric dentist discovers a cavity, there is no reason to panic, as they can usually treat the cavity quickly and without pain.
Children’s cavities are usually caused by plaque buildup that begins decaying the tooth.
Sugars and starch have a chemical reaction with the plaque that breaks down tooth enamel leading to a cavity. As the enamel erodes the tooth becomes susceptible to damage and infection.
Once your child has a cavity, it is important to have it filled and prevent further tooth decay. Almost always, it is done in a single short appointment at our Thornton office.
Jr. Smiles® Pediatric Dentists will examine your child’s mouth and then discuss treatment options with you based on your child’s tooth decay advancement.
Dental sealants for children are an effective method for preventing tooth decay and cavity growth. Learn more about sealants on our blog.
We remove the decayed part of the tooth and replace it with a white filling.
In rare cases, a crown will be used if your child’s tooth is badly decayed to protect it from further damage and keep your entire bite functional.
A pediatric dental crown is a stainless steel prosthetic tooth that fits directly over an existing tooth. There are also white acrylic pre-veneered stainless steel crowns for front teeth.
The short answer is probably: The natural enamel on baby teeth is thinner than adult teeth which makes it easier for tooth decay. In addition, cavities are a bacterial infection that can pass from tooth to tooth (including adult teeth)!
Jr. Smiles® Pediatric Dentists are very experienced treating baby teeth cavities and preventing further infection on your child’s other teeth.
Occasionally, when baby teeth are naturally being pushed out by adult teeth it may be alright to leave the cavity since the tooth is coming out soon. A Jr. Smiles® Pediatric dentist will determine if a tooth can be monitored or if it needs to be treated.
Filling children’s cavities is a procedure completed with minimal discomfort in one visit to our office. If we believe there will be any discomfort, we can ‘freeze’ the tooth area to temporarily numb the area.
The decay will be removed from the infected tooth. Then the tooth is cleaned and filled with a special composite filling that will be color matched to your tooth. Using a blue light, the material will be cured for a natural looking and durable result.
Dental visits can make children anxious. If you wish, we offer conscious sedation (laughing gas), which can help your child feel calm and relaxed during their appointment. Please feel welcome to discuss the benefits of conscious sedation dentistry for your child with our dentists.
When a general anesthesia is needed for your children’s cavities, we have an anesthesiologist who regularly visits our office.
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