Fillings & Extractions

Dental Fillings

Getting a dental filling is the most common treatment for a dental cavity. It helps restore the tooth and protects it from further damage. Dental cavities form when bacteria, food debris, and plaque are not properly brushed or flossed away. These substances combine to create an acid, which eats away at your child’s vulnerable tooth enamel, causing a hole. If this hole, or cavity, is not treated with a filling, it could progress into a tooth infection, causing even more severe problems.

Having a Dental Filling Placed

When your child receives a dental filling, there are 3 simple steps we take. These steps are:

First, Dr. Ben will make sure your child’s tooth and the surrounding area is numb in order to ensure a pain-free procedure.
Next, the bacteria and decay will be removed from the dental cavity and the area will be cleaned and disinfected.
Lastly, the filling material will be applied to the tooth, shaped, polished, and allowed to harden.

Dental fillings are among the most common of all dental procedures. Once your child has a filling, the tooth should be cared for by practicing good oral hygiene techniques, including brushing at least twice a day, flossing every day, and visiting Little Smiles of Delaware every six months for a dental cleaning and an exam.

Please let us know beforehand if your child has any dental fears or anxieties and we will discuss sedation options.

Dental Extractions

At Little Smiles of Delaware, we prioritize the preservation of your child’s natural teeth whenever we can. However, there are some instances where it becomes necessary to remove your child’s tooth.

Reasons for Tooth Extraction

When we have exhausted all other options, sometimes the only option is to remove a damaged tooth. A few reasons why a tooth extraction may become necessary include the following:

Baby teeth that for whatever reason are stubborn and stay in the mouth longer than normal
A tooth that has been too severely damaged by trauma, tooth decay, or infection
Teeth are sometimes removed in preparation to receive braces or other types of orthodontic treatment as recommended by your orthodontist

If you have questions about your child’s tooth extraction or if you’d like to discuss the sedation options for your child prior to the extraction, please don’t hesitate to contact Little Smiles of Delaware.