Dental Crowns - for Children
On the face of it, the idea of dental crowns may not seem to make much sense. After all, most of the reasons to have dental crowns placed have to do with age-related problems and other issues that aren’t likely to affect most young children - right?
In fact, while cosmetic dental crowns aren’t usually appropriate for young children, there are many cases in which crowns can - and should - be placed. Most of the time, this is due to genetic malformation or other type of congenital issue that has made baby teeth susceptible to premature wear and decay. In addition, many children play sports and therefore risk the same type of injuries as adults.
When younger children require dental crowns before the eruption of their adult teeth, it usually has to due with the back teeth, or molars. Baby molars, or primary molars differ from permanent ones; the shape is different. Because of this factor, a primary molar that has subject to tooth decay or has fractured is better treated using a dental crown rather than a filling.
Children risk serious problems if a baby molar is lost too soon; the tooth can be infected, leading to a painful abscess in addition to other conditions. If infected, bacteria can actually enter the heart of the tooth, or pulp chamber. This is where are the blood vessels and nerves are located; the consequences of a bacterial attack on these vital parts should be apparent.
Although aesthetically-pleasing ceramic dental crowns are available for children, these are not recommended by pediatric dentists - not the least because eventually, the primary molar is going to fall out to make room for the permanent adult molar in any event. When it comes to young children, pediatric dentists recommend dental crowns made from stainless steel rather than ceramic or acrylic ones, which are prone to fracture - and the fact that they are temporary does not justify the extra expense.
The good news here is that unlike dental crowns for adults, those for children can be placed in just a single visit. Once in place, stainless steel dental crowns for children will protect the functionality and health of the baby molar until it is pushed out to make room for its permanent, adult replacement.
