Many Parents are Unaware of Health Problems that Arise from Damage to a Baby Tooth
Dental crowns are the best way to restore seriously decayed teeth, or teeth that have been damaged by a dental injury. If you think that your child may need a dental crown in Muscatine, Dr. Jarod and the team at Arctic Dental are here to help. Contact us online to schedule your appointment at our office right away.
Request an Appointment for Your Child Today. Start Online → or Call 563-607-5979
If your child is experiencing pain from severe tooth decay or some other form of damage, they may need a tooth crown. These can protect your child’s tooth from further damage and can save them from further discomfort. A crown can also be an effective preventive measure which can save you money in the future. Tooth crowns could help save your child’s smile for years to come.
Does My Child Need a Dental Crown?
Your child may need a crown if a tooth becomes damaged or rotted. This can be painful for your child and can even cause an infection. If your child loses their baby teeth prematurely, they may experience orthodontic problems or trouble chewing food.
Baby teeth also hold space for permanent teeth and guide them into place. Without them, your child’s adult teeth can grow in crooked, leading to further dental problems when they get older.
If your child has a deep cavity, their tooth may feel sore, sensitive, and tender when eating hot and cold foods, or when they chew or bite. This may indicate the need for a dental crown.
They may also need a crown after a dental injury. If your child slips and falls, is hit while playing a contact sport, or suffers any other accident, check their tooth to see if it’s cracked, chipped, or broken. If it is, schedule an appointment with Arctic Dental right away.
Dr. Jarod works hard to create lasting relationships with all of the children and families who visit our office. We provide a wide range of services and offer a variety of crowns suited to your child’s needs.
Common Types Of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns all serve the same purpose. They’re tooth-shaped dental prostheses, and they cover up damaged teeth to protect them and restore your child’s bite and smile. However, there are two major different types of crowns used in pediatric dentistry.
Stainless steel crowns are usually used to treat baby teeth. This is because they are inexpensive and require minimal tooth preparation, while still providing excellent protection. Since baby teeth will fall out naturally as your child grows, these are a better choice than pricier white crowns.
White crowns, on the other hand, are made of porcelain materials and are custom-fitted to your child’s tooth. They are much more durable, long-lasting, and natural-looking, and are usually the best option for restoring a decayed or damaged adult tooth. They are more expensive than stainless steel crowns, but their natural appearance and long lifespan help make up for this cost.
The Benefits Of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns help prevent further damage to your child’s tooth, and they offer superior protection compared to dental fillings. With a crown, your child can get relief from the pain, tenderness, and discomfort of a damaged or decayed tooth. They’ll be able to eat, smile, and speak without pain or discomfort.
In addition, dental crowns are very durable and long-lasting. Stainless steel crowns will last until your little one’s baby tooth falls out naturally, and white crowns for adult teeth typically last at least 10-15 years or longer, so their smile will stay healthy and strong for years to come.
The Crown Placement Process
To begin the process, our Muscatine pediatric dentist will clean and numb your child’s tooth, then trim away damaged and decayed enamel. The tooth will be shaped into a strong, stable platform for your child’s crown.
If your child is getting a stainless steel crown, Dr. Jarod will choose a pre-fitted crown and attach it to their tooth using dental cement, completing the procedure.
However, the process is different for a custom-fitted white crown. Dr. Jarod will take impressions and photos of your child’s tooth and send them to a dental lab. Then, he will attach a temporary crown to your child’s tooth.
In about 2-3 weeks, your child’s permanent white crown will arrive at our office, and you’ll come back for their final appointment. Their temporary crown will be removed, then Dr. Jarod will check the fit of their white crown. Finally, the crown will be attached to your child’s tooth using dental cement. The result will be a beautiful, functional, natural-looking tooth that will last for years to come.
What Are Pediatric Crowns?
A pediatric crown is a protective cap for a tooth that has a large cavity, has been damaged, is broken, or has been significantly weakened. Pediatric crowns for baby teeth are typically made out of stainless steel because this material is superior in durability and strength.
A Stainless steel crown will last for the entire lifespan of the baby tooth until it falls out. While these crowns are silver in color, they are only temporary and offer the best protection for your child’s tooth.
If your child has a damaged permanent tooth, they may prefer a more aesthetic white crown that is fabricated out of porcelain. While these are not quite as durable, they are much more cosmetically pleasing and can last up to 15 years with the proper care.
What Issues Can a Pediatric Dental Crown Treat?
Many different circumstances can result in a weakened or damaged tooth. If your child had a large cavity that required removing most of the tooth structure, we will replace the cavity with a filling, but we will then recommend placing a crown on top of the tooth, so it doesn’t wear away or break when your child chews.
Teeth can also be damaged from teeth grinding, chewing on something too hard, oral injury, or falling and chipping the tooth. While restorative treatments like pulpotomies and root canals are effective at curing tooth infections, they also weaken the tooth.
If one of these treatments was performed on a back tooth, a dental crown is highly recommended for more strength and protection. If your child’s tooth is chipped, cracked, or even broken, a dental crown can hold it together.
Why Does My Child Need a Pediatric Crown If Their Tooth Will Just Fall Out?
Your child’s teeth play a very important role in helping them chew their food, pronounce certain sounds, and maintain their smile. Most importantly, however, your child’s baby teeth maintain space in the mouth for their permanent teeth.
If a tooth is lost prematurely, the surrounding teeth can shift and block the space where the permanent tooth was supposed to erupt. This can result in impaction and may require orthodontic treatment.
Children who lose a tooth too soon need to wear a space maintainer to hold the space open. However, this can all be prevented by protecting damaged, decayed, or weakened teeth with pediatric crowns made of durable materials.
Are Pediatric Dental Crowns Covered By Insurance?
Yes, most major dental insurance plans will cover pediatric crowns at about 50% of the cost as long as they are medically necessary to prevent a tooth from falling apart or breaking. Stainless steel crowns are more widely covered than white pediatric crowns. If your child’s crown is done purely for aesthetic reasons, it is unlikely to be covered by insurance. In general, dental insurance will not cover elective dental procedures. Contact your insurance provider directly to find out what they will cover, or get in touch with our team to see how we can help.
How to Care for a Child’s Tooth Crown
After your child’s crown is installed, they may experience bleeding or painful gums for several days after the procedure.
- Continue brushing your child’s teeth like normal, even in the case of bleeding, because any food can easily cause a gum infection.
- Depending on your child’s needs, you may need to use a over the counter analgesics to ease the pain of brushing and cleaning their teeth. Consult with your dentist before using pain medication.
- Avoid feeding your child sticky foods as long as your child has the crown as these can dislodge it.
*Accepting new patients from Muscatine and areas near West Liberty, Columbus Junction, Wapello, Tipton, Wilton, Durant, Stockton, Walcott, Blue Grass.