Crowns
What are Dental Crowns?
When a tooth has a large amount of missing tooth structure caused by dental decay, we often restore the tooth with a dental crown. A crown is like a “hat” for the tooth that returns it to its normal shape and size to allow for proper structure and function. Crowns are different in baby teeth than adult teeth and are in some ways minimally invasive as their preparation requires little removal of tooth structure and reinforces the tooth.
Why Would My Child Need a Crown?
- A large cavity that covers a significant portion of tooth surface area and threatens the strength of the tooth.
- A damaged tooth resulting from a trauma, fracture, or other injury may also need a crown to strengthen and restore the tooth.
- A tooth with deep decay in need of a “baby root canal” or pulpotomy will need a crown to help prevent future damage to the compromised tooth.
Keep in mind that not all of these situations warrant the need for a crown. Dr. Hayley will determine the best path of treatment for your child individually and discuss the finding and options with you.
Types of Dental Crowns
Not all dental crowns are the same. Depending on various factors, sometimes your child needs a specific dental crown made from a certain material. Below are some of the dental crowns we use in our office.
Prefabricated Stainless-Steel Dental Crowns
Stainless steel is the ideal material for crowns on baby teeth. The material is very strong and easy to work with, meaning that it will form to the child’s bite much easier than other materials. Because these crowns are prefabricated, Dr. Hayley can place the crown on your child’s tooth in one visit, making it easier on both you and your child.
Zirconia Dental Crowns
Zirconia Crowns (often referred to as EZ Pedo Crowns) are a great alternative for you and your child if you want a white crown that is metal free and looks more like a natural tooth. Zirconia resembles the traditional porcelain dental crowns but is much stronger and more durable. These crowns typically do not chip, discolor, or break down overtime. Zirconia crowns are also biocompatible making them safe for children’s teeth and gums.
Zirconia crowns are also prefabricated, so they can be fitted and placed on the patient during one visit, rather than using a temporary crown until the permanent one can be made. Crowns do not require dental impressions, which make the experience for your child much quicker and more comfortable. Zirconia crowns are the ideal material for anterior primary teeth in the need of crowns. If crowns are needed for your child, Dr. Hayley will be happy to discuss both options in order for you to make the best decision for you and your child.
Can My Child’s Tooth Be Pulled Instead of Getting a Crown?
Many parents often wonder why we don’t just pull out teeth that are badly decayed instead of restoring them with a crown. For some cases, we are able to pull out the baby tooth and place a space maintainer to hold space for the incoming adult tooth. However, this isn’t the case for every child.
For this reason, Dr. Hayley will do an overall assessment of the condition of the tooth in question as well as estimate the amount of time until it will be lost in order to determine the best course of action for the tooth.
Dr. Hayley has been specially trained to restore your child’s smile back to its natural beauty. Call our office today to make an appointment to determine what the best option would be for your child.
