Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are a restorative dental procedure and they are used to help improve the shape of a tooth or to strengthen it. Dental crowns are used most often for teeth that have been worn down, broken, or damaged by tooth decay. Dental crowns are like small caps that cover the entire damaged tooth, sometimes made of stainless steel, porcelain, or dental composite resin.

If your child’s baby tooth has suffered from extensive tooth decay or been damaged by dental trauma, a crown may be necessary in order to restore the strength and function of the tooth as well as avoid an infection from forming in the tooth, which could then spread to surrounding tissue and may damage the underlying permanent teeth.. A set of X-rays will be taken so that Dr. Ben can assess the extent of the cavity and determine if a crown is the best option for fixing your child’s tooth.

If your child is receiving a dental crown, the procedure is a relatively simple one. After numbing the area to make your child more comfortable, the tooth will be smoothed down so that the crown can fit over the top. This means that the crown will become the tooth’s new outer surface, protecting the tooth until it is ready to come out naturally. Dental crowns allow us to help your child retain his or her tooth, which is always the primary goal. Once a crown has been placed, you will need to care for it in the same way you care for your child’s natural teeth.

For more information on dental crowns or to make an appointment for your child to see Dr. Ben, please contact Little Smiles of Delaware. Our children’s dental office is located here in lovely Delaware, Ohio.

Pulpotomy Procedure

Occasionally, the tooth decay becomes so deep it approaches the nerve of the tooth. When this happens an additional procedure called a pulpotomy may be required to save your child’s tooth.

During a pulpotomy, Dr. Ben will remove the infected material in the pulp of the crown, leaving the tooth’s roots intact. Special dental materials and medicaments are gently placed inside the tooth to allow the remaining nerve tissue to heal. Once a pulpotomy has been performed, a dental crown will be placed over the top of the tooth to restore it and protect it from further damage and infection.