Pediatric dentists are highly skilled in caring for young mouths. They are capable of performing a variety of procedures, from the simple to the complex.
Children’s teeth are prone to cavities. Early treatment can prevent these from becoming severe problems that require more invasive treatments like tooth extraction.
X-rays are routinely taken to keep track of growth and development. Children at high risk of decay need X-rays every six months, while those at lower risk need them less often.
Dental Fillings
The most common procedure performed in pediatric dentistry is fillings. These are single or multiple metal, plastic, or glass compounds used to repair a damaged tooth – typically due to tooth decay, but also in other cases, such as cracks or fractures. Children’s teeth are more prone to cavities than adults, making regular dental cleanings important.
Once the area is numb, the dentist removes the infected tissue and replaces it with the filling material of choice. This can include traditional silver amalgam, tooth-colored composites, or ceramic porcelain.
Sometimes, the child may need to have their baby teeth capped with crowns to prevent further damage. This is particularly common with the first and second baby molars, where a cavity can quickly spread from the tip to the roots. Having the tooth covered with a crown protects it from further infection and may save it from being extracted.
Teeth Cleanings
Children in Delmar are prone to cavities, so they should start dental cleanings when their teeth come in. Getting a regular cleaning by a hygienist is one of the most important pediatric dental procedures that can help prevent tooth decay and other serious problems.
These visits typically involve the hygienist scraping the teeth and brushing the grooves to remove plaque and tarter and to apply fluoride. The teeth are then polished and flossed before the hygienist dries the mouth.
Another common pediatric dental procedure is sealants. These are plastic coatings that the dentist applies to a child’s teeth to prevent food from settling in the natural grooves of the back and top teeth, where it can cause decay. This helps keep a child’s teeth healthy, preventing future cavities and saving their teeth from needing to be pulled. This preventive dental procedure should be done after the child’s first cavity and every six months afterward.
Tooth Extractions
During a child’s development, teeth go through rapid changes. This makes it important to visit the dentist regularly and to catch issues early. This can save children from having to undergo more stringent procedures.
In addition to regular cleanings, pediatric dentist Delmar performs X-rays and fluoride treatments. These preventative procedures help keep teeth healthy by removing built-up plaque and tartar from hard-to-reach spots in the mouth.
Dental sealants are another common treatment for children’s teeth. These plastic coatings are applied to the back molars to protect them from food particles that can lead to cavities.
Sometimes, a tooth may have so much decay that it needs to be removed completely. This is done under localized numbing so that the procedure is pain-free for kids. This can also help remove impacted or overcrowded teeth to make room for permanent ones. Eventually, the tooth is replaced by a dental crown. This is a strong, durable material that looks like natural teeth.
Dental Crowns
Fortunately, dental cavities are often easily treated with quick and easy filling procedures. Occasionally, children’s teeth are more prone to decay or have a larger area of damage than can be adequately repaired with dental fillings alone. In those cases, pediatric crowns can be used to restore a tooth.
Also called ‘caps,’ these restorations cover an infected or damaged tooth and re-establish its strength and appearance. They are typically used for molars but can also be applied to front teeth. Crowns are especially recommended when a large cavity has penetrated the tooth’s structure to such an extent that insufficient natural tooth is left to support a simple filling.
When a tooth is prepared for a crown, it is usually numb using local anesthesia. An impression is then taken of the problematic tooth and surrounding teeth to make a model that will be used to fabricate the final crown in a laboratory.