February is dedicated as National Children’s Dental Health Month, which focuses on raising awareness to methods you can use to keep your child’s teeth and gums healthy. With the correct oral hygiene habits at home and regular care from a children’s dentist in Kent, you can help to ensure your child’s smile stays healthy. Unfortunately, even with the best prevention, a tooth can be seriously damaged. Your dentist may recommend treating it with a dental crown, but you might be tempted to have it pulled. Although the tooth will eventually fall out, it is always best to treat it whenever possible.
Why Does My Child Need Crowns?
A dental crown is a custom-made cap placed over the entire visible surface of a tooth down to the gum line. It is used to repair a tooth that has a significant amount of decay that cannot be treated with a traditional filling. A crown is also used to repair a tooth with a large break or fracture.
Children who need dental crowns in Kent often use those that are made from durable stainless steel, which have been used for more than 75 years. They are the most economical and reliable solution to protect a primary tooth until it falls out and is replaced with the permanent tooth.
Since the tooth eventually falls out, you may be wondering why a crown is even necessary? Why not just have the tooth pulled instead? Each baby tooth serves a valuable role in your child’s oral health and development. If a tooth is lost too soon, it can have lasting consequences for their smile.
Why Shouldn’t the Tooth be Pulled?
Every baby tooth allows your child to learn how to speak and chew correctly. The primary teeth also act as placeholders for the adult teeth until it is time for them to erupt. When a tooth is lost too early, it can impact your child’s ability to chew and speak, leading to developmental delays. It can also impact the alignment of their adult teeth, often causing overcrowding.
Instead of pulling the tooth, it is always best to save it with a dental crown whenever possible. If there comes a time when your dentist cannot save their tooth and it must be extracted, a spacer it put in their mouth to hold the position for their adult tooth.
Invest in Your Child’s Smile
If your child has a damaged baby tooth, do not have it pulled. Their children’s dentist can save it with a dental crown. You can invest in their smile using a simple and effective treatment that will last until their permanent tooth erupts.
About Kent Dental Clinic
Kent Dental Clinic strives to provide comprehensive dentistry for patients of all ages. We offer preventive and restorative dentistry to ensure you and your loved ones’ smiles stay healthy and beautiful. If your child needs a dental crown, we have the compassionate care they need to feel at ease. Contact our office today to schedule their consultation.