Joe Lawrence
Oral health is important for all ages. Even though children have "baby teeth" that will eventually fall out to make room for their adult teeth, neglecting these teeth can set a child up for a lifetime of oral problems. One dental procedure that is not uncommon to perform on children is the placement of dental crowns.
Why would a child need a crown?
A crown helps restore a tooth to its normal appearance and role. It can also help prevent the tooth from falling out early. Since children's teeth have thinner enamel, they decay more easily than adult teeth. A severely decayed tooth often can't be filled. If cavities are very deep, a filling will not suffice. Fillings also have a higher failure rate than crowns. Dentists use their discretion, and if they think that a tooth will not be able to hold a filling, they may suggest a crown in order to prevent a follow-up procedure in the event the filling doesn't work.
Crowns are also common if the child has a chipped or cracked tooth. The crown helps prevent the tooth from further damage. Severely discolored teeth also benefit from the placement of a crown. If a child has received a root canal, they will have a crown placed over the tooth.
What kinds of crowns are used on children?
A dentist might place a porcelain tooth-colored crown on a front, visible tooth of a child. The downfall to these crowns are that they chip easily, but they are aesthetically pleasing. Stainless steel crowns are sturdier and stronger. That is why stainless steel crowns are often used on molars.
Placing a crown in an adult mouth takes at least two visits, but children are different. Children's crowns can be placed in one appointment so they don't have to come back for another appointment. This is because dentists tend to have crowns in a variety of sizes for baby teeth, but adult teeth must be fitted and crowns are specially made.
What is the procedure like for a child?
The procedure of placing a crown in a child's mouth is quite simple. First, a local anesthetic is used to numb the location. The dentist prepares the tooth to have the crown placed over the top of it. The crown is then cemented on.
After the procedure, the child should avoid eating for a while. They should especially avoid hard foods or sticky foods. These can damage the work that was done. Contact a professional such as Tisdelle Michael J DDS for more information.
Caring for an elderly parent tends to be tough enough without the added stress of dealing with dental implants or dentures. But, the prospect is not the end of the world—there are many things you can do to ensure that your parent's dental health is not compromised without having to spend a lot of personal time doing the care yourself. Between working with the right dentist, hiring a service provider for part time work, and giving your parent the tools he or she needs to care for his or her own dental health at home, you'll find that dental health for your loved one isn't so tough or time consuming after all. Hopefully you are able to get the support and information you need right here.