Why do dentists advise dental caps in children?
Pediatric dentists use metal crowns in children to seal the decay on primary molars and prevent tooth decay from progressing. These are stainless steel crowns and are biocompatible and relatively cheap. An extensively decayed baby tooth needs more than simply filling up the tooth. And therefore, we advise restoring the milk tooth with a metal crown. And especially if the tooth has received pulpal therapy (root canal therapy).Your child’s back teeth are the most used for chewing, and therefore require a restoration that will hold up under pressure until it is time for the milk teeth to fall out .Parents believe that the baby teeth will not remain in their child’s mouth for long. But the truth is that those molars remain around 12 years of age which means those teeth need to be preserved till then as the baby teeth help in guiding the permanent teeth in its proper position and maintains the space for them.
The most commonly used crowns for milk teeth in children are stainless steel crowns. Ceramic tooth coloured crowns are available nowadays . Primary teeth that have extensive decay over multiple surfaces, teeth that are broken or have a significant defect need capping. The crowns are durable and sturdy having full coverage protection for the tooth and less likely to need retreatment. The crowns function like a natural tooth. They allow the child to chew and speak comfortably and stay in place until the milk tooth falls off.
How are metal crowns made in children?
These pre-formed metal crowns are available in different sizes and are easily customizable for any tooth. The pediatric dentist will remove the decayed/damaged part of the tooth making the tooth decay free. We need accurate fit of the crown over the tooth. We check to see if it fully covers the tooth or not. The dentist will advise if the tooth needs to undergo root canal therapy. In such a scenario, the doctor will place the crown after the root canal is completed. Post crown placement the child may feel a little uncomfortable to bite down. But however, the discomfort will go away in 1-2 days.
Our aim is to go for the best treatment option for the milk teeth and the permanent tooth underneath it. Stainless steel metal crowns in children are a long-lasting and cost-effective way to preserve teeth . They preserve a primary tooth and can guide the permanent tooth in its correct position.
