Space Maintenance  |  Sealants  |  Pulpotomy  |  Stainless Steel Crown

Space Maintenance

If a baby tooth is lost too soon, the teeth beside it may tilt or drift into the empty space and fill the gap. When adjacent teeth shift into the empty space, they create a lack of space in the jaw for the permanent teeth. So, permanent teeth are crowded and come in crooked. If left untreated, the condition may require extensive orthodontic treatment.

Space maintainers are appliances made of metal or plastic that is custom fit to your child's mouth. They are small and unobtrusive in appearance. Most children easily adjust to them after the first few days.

There are various types of space maintainers, and they could be Fixed (cemented) or removable.

How Should I Take Care of It

• Avoid sticky sweets/food or chewing gum.
• Advice the child not to tug or push on the space maintainer with his/her fingers or tongue.
• Keep it clean with conscientious brushing and flossing.
• Continue regular dental visits; if the appliance loosens make an appointment to recement it. Usually your pediatric dentist check the space maintainer every check up

Sealants

Sealants are dental procedures which protect the grooved and pitted surfaces of the teeth, especially the chewing surfaces of back teeth or back surfaces of the front teeth where most cavities in children are found. Made of clear or shaded plastic, sealants are applied to the teeth to help keep them cavity-free.

Even if your child brushes and flosses carefully, it is difficult - sometimes impossible -to clean the tiny grooves and pits on certain teeth. Food and bacteria build up in these crevices, placing your child in danger of tooth decay. Sealants "seal out" food and plaque, therefore risk of decay is reduced.

Research shows that sealants can last for many years if properly cared for. If your child has good oral hygiene and avoids biting hard objects, sealants will last longer. Your pediatric dentist will check the sealants during routine dental visits and can recommend reapplication or repair when necessary.

Sealants can be placed on permanent teeth and primary teeth (baby teeth), most insurances do not pay for sealants on primary teeth.

Pulpotomy

This dental treatment is recommended to protect the tooth from becoming abscessed. It is needed when the dental decay (cavity) is deep and may reach the pulp (nerve).

The objective of this procedure is to remove the inflamed (affected) part of the nerve and leave the healthy part. The healthy part of the nerve will be protected by medicated filling.

It is recommended that stainless steel crown (silver cap) is placed as a final restoration. These caps are prefabricated but they will be trimmed and fitted to your child tooth.

Please be advised that all dental procedures need follow up, and any dental procedure will not be successful unless accompanied by good oral hygiene with daily brushing and flossing.

• Silver Cap
• Medicated Filling
• Cement for the Silver Cap
• Healthy Nerve

Stainless Steel Crown

Stainless Steel Crowns are prefabricated but they will be trimmed and fitted on your child’s tooth. They protect the tooth by covering the entire portion of the tooth to the gum lines.

The objective of this procedure is to restore badly decayed/broken teeth and teeth with nerve treatment. The reason that these crowns are recommended is because they last in the mouth more than a filling for these teeth that does not have enough tooth structure.

The tooth will be prepared to specific shape and the crown is placed as a final restoration. These caps are placed on the tooth with dental cement. If the crown becomes loose or painful, please contact the office (734) 414-9554.

Please be advised that using the white crowns are new and there is no long term follow up with these crowns yet compared to placing stainless steel crowns. If your child lost the crown bring the crown with you to the office.

Hard sticky food should be avoided

Please be advised that all dental procedures need follow up, and any dental procedure will not be successful unless accompanied by good oral hygiene with daily brushing and flossing.