There are multiple restorative dental applications that dentists may use to help keep the teeth healthy. Some of these treatments may be used for permanent teeth as well as primary teeth.

Parents sometimes feel that the primary teeth do not require the same level of attention as adult teeth because the primary teeth are eventually shed. Nevertheless, the temporary nature of the primary teeth should not discount their importance.

The primary teeth serve as placeholders for the adult teeth that will eventually take their places. Thus, dental professionals often provide some of the same restorative treatments for baby teeth as they do for adult teeth. Here are a few of those treatments.

Dental Fillings

A major threat to the longevity of a primary tooth is dental decay. Decay occurs as acids dissolve the minerals that comprise the primary tooth's enamel. As more tooth material is dissolved by the acids, cavities form. If the decay in a primary tooth is left untreated, it may spread to the underlying permanent teeth that have not yet erupted. Additionally, it may spread from one primary tooth to other healthy baby teeth.

To treat the decayed tooth, the dentist removes the decayed tooth material as they would for a permanent tooth. The provider then fills the hole in the tooth with a suitable filling.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are frequently used to restore primary teeth. Just as a crown can be used to cover the natural crown of an adult tooth, it can encircle the natural crown of a primary tooth. Dentists regularly apply dental crowns to teeth that have suffered structural damage from a dental treatment or trauma to the mouth. The crown fortifies and protects the tooth material while ensuring that it can withstand the usual forces associated with bite pressure.

Dental crowns may be formed from many different materials. Stainless steel crowns are often used on pediatric teeth because the material is less expensive, and the dentist can mold it around the tooth without obtaining an impression of the treated tooth. The dark color of the steel is often not prohibitive because the primary teeth will eventually shed. Still, stainless steel crowns are not only used for baby teeth. They may be used to cover the molars of adult patients.

The tooth-colored crowns that are most popular in adult dentistry, such as those made of all-porcelain or porcelain-over-metal, may be selected to cover a pediatric tooth that is near the front of the mouth.

To learn more about the restorative applications that are available for primary teeth, schedule a consultation with a pediatric dentist in your local area.

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