Accidents happen. Sometimes even a minor tumble or trip and fall can result in a chipped or cracked tooth. In other situations, kids can experience a deep cavity despite their best efforts to practice good oral hygiene at home. Thankfully, tooth restoration for children is an option. After all, accidents happen to adults and kids alike! Read on to discover what you need to know if your child requires tooth restoration.

What you should know about tooth restoration for children 

Let’s start with the basics. Tooth restoration involves repairing or replacing teeth that are missing or have been severely damaged. Restorative dentistry is intended to improve oral health and function and usually involves fillings, crowns, root canals (sometimes referred to as baby pulpotomies or pulpectomies), or dental implants. Various situations call for various treatments. 

For example, dental crowns are typically used to treat severely damaged teeth. Dental fillings, on the other hand, fill minor tooth decay or minor damage. Fillings are usually tooth colored and are designed to blend in with your natural teeth. Crowns are either tooth-colored or metal, depending on the tooth that requires the crown. In most cases, a tooth-colored crown will be used on a tooth that is visible when you smile.

In more severe situations, a root canal treatment may be necessary before the placement of a tooth crown for kids so that a post can be placed inside your child’s root canal. If your child has a badly broken tooth or one with serious decay, and little tooth structure remains above the gumline, additional support for the dental crown may be required.

Dentists look at tooth restoration in children much like they do for adults. The difference is that pediatric dentists, such as those as Pediatric Dental Specialists, receive extra training to help them work with children and their unique needs and smaller mouths.

How do you know if your child needs tooth restoration?

In most cases, you’ll know if your child needs a dental restoration because their dentist will tell you at your child’s dental visit. However, there are some situations where things can happen before your child’s appointment. And, we all know that kids sometimes lack the awareness that adults have learned through experience. So, be sure to pay close attention if your child says that their mouth hurts, as they may not be able to tell you specifically that they have a toothache. Parents are their children’s best advocates, and they can help their kids identify if something serious is going on.

So, if your child says their mouth hurts, follow these easy steps.

1. Do a quick examination of your child’s mouth. Is there anything bleeding? Can you tell if something is chipped or broken? Do you see brown or yellow spots on their teeth? If you are having trouble seeing inside your child’s mouth, try using the light from your mobile device or a light from a small flashlight to illuminate the area.
2. Have your child try to point to where it hurts. This can help you narrow down where the problem area is and might help you brainstorm the various causes of the pain.
3. Think about what your child has eaten recently. Certain foods are more likely to get stuck between the teeth and gums than others and can cause tooth pain or discomfort. Has your child eaten popcorn recently? Corn on the cob? Shredded chicken?

Of course, there may be various other problems your child could be experiencing, ranging from a mouth ulcer to a tooth abscess. It never hurts to contact your child’s dentist if they are complaining of mouth pain that can’t be easily explained. That’s what the team at Pediatric Dental Specialists is here for.

Pediatric Dental Specialists are experts in tooth restoration for children.

Our team is well versed in pediatric dental restorations, and we are trained to serve children from infancy through adolescence. All of our dental services are designed with your child in mind to ensure they have the best dental experience possible. So, if your child has been complaining of mouth pain, and it is determined that they have a cavity or another dental problem, we will partner with you on the best dental treatment and plan for their situation. Whether we identify a deep cavity, chipped tooth, cracked tooth, etc., we can help with the right pediatric dental restoration.

If you have been searching for a pediatric dentist near Omaha, you have come to the right place. Request an appointment today. We look forward to meeting you and your child and helping them to feel better soon. We’ll have your child smiling again in no time!