If your child breaks a tooth, there are reasons why a dentist may not place a crown on it. The reasons for not placing a crown on a child's tooth are as follows.
The Tooth Will Eventually Fall Out
Baby teeth, even if they are broken or damaged, will eventually fall out and be replaced by an adult tooth. If you had crowned the tooth, you would have paid several hundred dollars on a tooth that was temporary. That is a hefty investment for a broken tooth that can probably be bonded and/or saved.
The Tooth Can Be Repaired
Using a dental bonding agent and/or a dental adhesive, your child's tooth can be "glued" back together. This approach is used when your child's tooth is fractured but has not chipped, splintered off or fallen out. Since the roots of the tooth will continue to hold the tooth in place, the horizontal or vertical split in the tooth only needs something to hold it together and prevent cavities from developing. Applying the bonding agent or adhesive in the visible crack and then over the top of the crack is how your dentist will accomplish this task.
If the break in your child's tooth is below the gum line, your dentist will see this on an x-ray. Since he or she cannot apply a bonding agent or dental adhesive to this type of break, the next line of defense is to immobilize the tooth. Your child's dentist may accomplish this by wiring the tooth to the two teeth on either side of it. Then the body's natural bone healing processes can take over, and the tooth will repair itself. It does not always work, as damage to the nerve or blood vessels inside the tooth can effect the tooth's overall survival rate.
Using a Tooth Crown as a Last Resort
In most cases, your child's dentist will only crown a tooth as a last resort. This includes cases of baby teeth that are broken beyond repair but that must remain in place until the adult tooth emerges. As long as there is enough tooth left to sand down to a base, a crown can be fitted and installed in your child's mouth. The most difficult part of this process will be waiting a few days until the crown is ready. Your child will undoubtedly try to play with the temporary crown, drool a lot, or even try to pull it free. (This behavior is typically why most dentists try to avoid placing a crown in a child's mouth.) He or she may also need a soft diet until the permanent crown is placed.
For more information, call a professional like Paul Dona DDS.
Share11 June 2015
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