While many of the same dental treatments that apply to adult patients also apply to pediatric patients, there are some common dental treatments for kids that are often needed for their dental health. In this article, we cover five common dental treatments for kids and what to expect during these treatments.
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride treatments are an essential part of your child’s dental treatment. These treatments apply fluoride to the surface of your child’s teeth. Fluoride is a crucial mineral for the growth of dental enamel. On top of this, fluoride helps prevent cavities, making it essential to your child’s overall dental health. Many dentists do fluoride treatments during your child’s routine cleaning visit. These treatments can help strengthen your child’s teeth and improve their dental health.
While your child can also get fluoride from a city or town water supply, routine fluoride treatments can strengthen their teeth. This makes them an essential common dental treatment for kids.
Cavity Filling
Cavity fillings are one of the most common dental procedures of all time. Dental caries, or cavities, happen when bacteria gather on the surface of your child’s teeth. This bacteria produces acid, which in turn eats away at the enamel. Once these cavities pass a certain threshold, they need treatment. Good dental hygiene can help repair some of the damage done by bacteria. However, when cavities get too deep, they require filling.
Dental fillings are a safe, reliable way to fix cavities. By fixing cavities, you can prevent further dental decay and keep the decay from reaching the root of your child’s teeth. Your child’s dentist can treat dental cavities by drilling away the decayed material, cleaning the remaining space, and filling the hole with dental filling material.
Braces
Braces are a common childhood dental treatment. This treatment gradually moves your child’s teeth into place, straightening out their smile. This treatment is usually done by an orthodontist, who fixes brackets and wires inside your child’s mouth. Through regular adjustment and time, braces move your child’s adult teeth. Children with all or most of their adult teeth can be good candidates for braces.
Dental Extractions
If your child has an infected or decayed tooth that cannot be repaired any other way, it may be time for a dental extraction. Your child’s dentist will recommend dental extraction if they can do nothing for the tooth or the tooth is too decayed for repair. Your child’s dentist will numb your child’s mouth using topical anesthetics before removing the tooth. Be sure to follow all dental recommendations during dental extraction recovery.
Dental Crowns
If the surface of your child’s tooth is decayed, damaged, or worn down, or they have a lot of cavities that need repair, they may need dental crowns. Dental crowns not only protect your child’s tooth, but they also act as a replacement chewing surface. To place a dental crown, your child’s dentist may need to remove some enamel or decayed dental matter to fit the crown. Then, the crown is bonded to the surface of the tooth.
If you have questions about kids’ dental treatments or want to schedule an appointment, contact Smile First Pediatric Dentistry at (631) 563-7462. We look forward to hearing from you.