Caring for an Elderly Parent With Special Dental Needs
Answers To Questions About Child Dental Fillings
Joe Lawrence
If you have a child who has a bit of dental decay, then you should prepare yourself for the filling appointment that will need to occur. And, as a parent, you may have a few questions about the filling. Keep reading to learn about the answers to a few of the most common ones.
Will Your Child Need A Filling In A Baby Tooth?
You should know that, yes, children need fillings in the baby teeth. There are a few reasons for this. The filling prevents the tooth from degrading so bad that the cavity makes its way all the way through the tooth. Not only will the larger cavity start affect the gums, but the biggest cavities can eat their way through the developing permanent teeth that sit just underneath the baby teeth.
One of the big factors in treating the decay also revolves around the way that your child feels. Simply put, cavities can cause a good deal of pain and discomfort and treatments will help to resolve the pain or stop it from even developing.
Keep in mind that cavities are able to spread to the adjacent teeth, so this is something that your child's dentist also wants to avoid. And, of course, as with the decay that forms in your own teeth, you want to seek treatment as soon as you notice an issue.
What Kinds Of Filling Materials Can Be Used?
When it comes to the adult teeth, you can expect your own dentist to use a resin composite material. This allows the filling to blend with the enamel so aesthetics are retained. And, while you may want the same for your child, this may not be the best choice and a metal material may be utilized. Typically, a silver amalgam material will be used.
Silver amalgam fillings have a few advantages. They are far cheaper than resin or even gold. This can reduce your out of pocket costs, and if you have insurance, your provider may actually request the use of silver amalgam. So, if you pick a different material, you may need to pay for it on your own.
Silver is also a bit more gentle on the surrounding teeth as well. It can move slightly under pressure, and thus, the surrounding teeth may not be stressed as much from the filling.
If you want to know more about the types of fillings that may be placed in your child's teeth, then speak with a children's dentist.
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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.