Dental Crowns: Protecting Your Child’s Baby Teeth
The health of your child’s baby teeth is important for facial growth and development. Baby teeth allow your child to bite and chew solid foods, help with your child’s speech, and serve as a guide for permanent teeth to grow into their proper position. While baby teeth do fall out, it’s important that they stay in the mouth until they are ready to fall out naturally. To save these teeth for as long as necessary, sometimes your dentist will choose to place a dental crown over your child’s baby tooth.
A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers the surfaces of the tooth. It is often composed of a silver-colored stainless steel or a tooth-colored resin. Crowns can be placed on both the back teeth (molars) and the front teeth (canines and incisors). Circumstances that may require a crown to be placed on a baby tooth include:
- Severe decay, often in large areas of the tooth and on more than one surface, in which case a regular filling would not suffice
- An irregularly developed baby tooth
- A baby tooth that has undergone root canal therapy
- A child who is prone to high levels of tooth decay, in which case the crown can prevent further decay from occurring
A dental crown for a baby tooth can often be placed in a single visit. The dentist will use a local anesthetic to numb the area where the crown will be placed. Once numb, a dental dam will be placed over the rest of the teeth to isolate the tooth that is being prepared for a crown. The tooth will be reshaped and any present decay will be removed. Then the crown will be fitted over the tooth to ensure it is the proper size and shape. Once the crown is prepared, the dentist will place it over the tooth and secure it with a sturdy dental cement.
Your child may experience some mild pain after the procedure. Over-the-counter pain medication can help alleviate the pain. Be sure to keep a close eye on your child to make sure he or she does not bite down on the numbed area. It is also a good idea to hold off on solid foods and only give your child soft foods and liquids within the first several hours after the procedure. If any problems occur, be sure to contact your dental office immediately.
You may be wondering – will my child’s baby tooth still fall out normally even though it has a crown over it? The answer is yes, the crowned tooth typically falls out as it normally should when the permanent tooth begins coming in. Regular visits to your dentist can help monitor this and ensure that your child’s teeth remain healthy and continue to develop properly.
Photo credit: ianus; CC license
How Do Dental Sealants Prevent Child Tooth Decay?
As mentioned in previous articles, tooth decay is extremely common in children. In fact, it is the number one chronic childhood disease. Decay can happen for a number of reasons, including poor hygiene, consumption of too many sugary foods and drinks, and a lack of routine visits to the dental office. The good news is that tooth decay can be easily prevented. One of the best ways to prevent cavities and decay is by having your dentist apply sealants to your child’s teeth.
A dental sealant is a plastic coating that is applied to the chewing surfaces of the teeth in the back of the mouth (premolars and molars). These are the teeth that are most prone to decay. The sealant acts as a barrier between the teeth and any food or beverage it comes in contact with. Sugars and carbohydrates fuel tooth decay, so the sealant helps in preventing sugary foods from getting stuck in the grooves of the teeth.
The process to apply sealants is quick and easy:
- First, your dentist or hygienist will prepare the teeth for sealants by thoroughly cleaning them
- The sealant material is then painted directly onto the tooth enamel of each premolar and molar
- The sealant bonds and hardens to the tooth’s surface with the help of a special curating light
Sealants can typically last for up to 10 years, but can be easily replaced if they were to be chipped or worn down. Your dentist will check for this at every appointment and replace them as needed.
Children as young as 6 years of age are great candidates for dental sealants, as it is beneficial to have them applied to permanent molars as soon as they grow in. In many cases, your dentist might suggest sealants for baby teeth as well as permanent teeth. This helps in keeping your child’s mouth healthy as he or she develops and can prevent baby teeth from falling out too early.
It’s a good idea to begin preventing tooth decay as early as possible. Schedule routine check-ups for your child as soon as their baby teeth start growing in, and ask your dentist about how soon your child might be ready for dental sealants.
ADHD, Interceptive Orthodontics and Children
Everybody knows the importance of sleep, even more so when it comes to the development of your child. Studies as recent as July of this year show that almost one third of the pediatric population suffers from some type of sleep related problem. Restlessness, bedwetting, sleep apnea, and tooth grinding are examples. If left untreated, these poor sleeping patterns can have a negative impact on the development of your child and may lead to behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, anxiety, and moodiness. In fact a recent study completed in Finland in 2009 showed that short sleep was associated with higher readings for ADHD and inattention.
So how can a dental appliance that was initially designed to just straighten teeth also promote better sleeping patterns? Enter Ortho-tain, a company who manufactures two interceptive orthodontic/orthopedic appliances: Nite-Guide and Occlus-O-Guide. While both appliances are used to help straighten teeth, they also help promote the downward and outward growth and development of the upper and lower jaw. In doing so the protrusion of the lower jaw promotes airway expansion allowing for a better quality of sleep. A lot of the sleeping problems mentioned earlier are associated with the poor delivery of oxygen. By expanding the child’s airway, more oxygen is delivered and a healthier sleep pattern is established. Additionally, both devices are worn at nighttime and promote nasal breathing by forming a seal at the opening of the mouth. This helps eliminate tooth grinding and reduce snoring habits in the child allowing for a healthier sleep.
What about the teeth straightening?
Outside of the benefits related to sleeping in children, both devices also provide an excellent course of treatment for many forms of malocclusion in children. When it comes to teeth straightening, many parents do not consider orthodontic treatment for their kids until they reach adolescence, typically around 12 years old. That means starting treatment when the teeth are already in a crowded position, so then the child will have to go to full metal braces to correct the problem. Early orthodontic treatment, between ages 5 and 7, has been shown to easily and effectively prevent future, more painful orthodontic problems. This may allow your child to avoid discomfort and embarrassment because of traditional braces.
Interceptive orthodontics is the definition we give to diagnose a condition in a young child,
from the age of about 5 to 10, where there is going to become an orthodontic problem. By interceding, or intercepting, this potential problem, we can ensure that there will be enough room needed for the permanent teeth to come through and position themselves correctly. Clinical studies show that early childhood orthodontic treatment greatly reduces the need for fixed orthodontic treatment (aka metal braces) or TMJ therapy later in life.
Do They Really NEED a Back-to-School Dental Checkup?
Did you know that tooth decay (or cavities) is an infectious disease? What’s more alarming is that, according to the United States Surgeon General, more than half of children ages 5-9 have at least 1 cavity and that more than 51 million hours of school are missed each year due to dental related issues. That is why it is important for parents to have their children evaluated as part of their back to school checkups if they aren’t already being seen twice a year.
Dental wellness is still not widely thought of in a person’s overall health. It is important for parents to understand that cavities, as well as gingivitis and gum disease, actually affect the rest of the body and left untreated can spread and worsen. The American Dental Association reports that tooth decay is the most common, chronic disease of children and is a key cause of tooth loss in younger people.
Fortunately, tooth decay is preventable and treatable. Just like safeguarding ourselves and children against common colds by washing hands, there are ways to help fight decay. Helping our children develop good dental hygiene habits by regular brushing and flossing will help with prevention. Regular dental checkups can help with early detection and allow issues to be taken care of before the threat of spreading, pain or even tooth loss.
So while you’re out picking up that new backpack or #2 pencil , make sure that a dental checkup is on your list. Giving our children the best chance at starting the school year healthy, happy and ready to learn is the best thing we can do to ensure their success. Happy Back-to School!
Is it Too Young to Remove Wisdom Teeth at Age 13?
Not really, says T. Bob Davis, a dental surgeon and the spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry. Wisdom teeth normally don’t break through the gums until about the ages of 17 to 25, but your dentist will likely start assessing your child when she’s 13. And if it seems likely that the wisdom teeth – or third molars, as they are clinically called – will crowd other teeth or cause problems (dentists can predict this using dental X-rays), the sooner they are extracted, the better for your child’s oral health, says Davis.
“It’s easier on both dentists and patients to
remove the teeth when the roots are still soft and not fully formed, and younger people heal better,” adds Davis. (He likes to remove the lower set of wisdom teeth in one procedure, at age 14 or 15, followed by the upper set in a separate procedure the following year.) “There’s no point in making a child wait — it just gets harder as the roots calcify.”
But as common as the procedure is, Davis warns that two things are likely to be different for your child than they were when you were a teen:
- Don’t expect general anesthesia. Patients who have general anesthesia – as opposed to sedation and local anesthesia – heal more slowly. What’s more, a recent study found that patients who are given general anesthesia are more likely to develop infections – and that their infections are more severe – than those who are given local anesthesia.
- Don’t expect a “knockout” pain medication. These days, dentists are less likely to prescribe heavy-duty pain pills. Painkillers such as Vicodin are among the most abused drugs, “and it’s better not to introduce it to kids who are in their teens,” he says, “especially since we now know we can manage pain so much more effectively, alternating ibuprofen (even before the procedure) with less addictive types of painkillers.” But each case is different. If you’re concerned your child is not getting enough pain relief (or worried that it’s too much), talk to your dentist.
Editors Note:
For additional information on this topic, please see our follow up post “Be Wise About Your Teen’s Wisdom Teeth” by PedSafe Expert Dr Bill Williams
Should Your Child Wear a Mouth Guard?
Playing team sports are a wonderful experience for children. There are many physical and 
emotional health benefits.
There can also be safety and protection issues. Any sport can increase head and mouth trauma. Injury can not be completely eliminated but damage can be lessened. Mouth guards can decrease the potential for harm by up to 60%.
Besides preventing permanent loss or disfigurement of the most visible, front teeth, mouth guards can prevent a concussion.
The younger your child starts wearing a mouth guard, the more likely they are to continue wearing it through their sporting career. Custom fitting mouth guards allow your child to speak and breathe more comfortably, performing with the greatest confidence.
Benefits of a mouth guard:
- You increase the chance of damaging your teeth 60x if you don’t wear a mouth guard while playing spots
- Injuries to your teeth can result in permanent disfigurement of your most viable front teeth
- It is estimated that a lifetime dental costs to a tooth that is knocked out can be up to $20,000
As stated earlier, the habit of wearing a mouth guard is developed at an early age. Make sure you talk to your dentist about the best type of mouth guard for your child. There are several different types available to you.
Be safe this sports season!
