Your child’s second molars erupt between the ages of 2 and 3.
Your child will first come in for a consultation, where our pediatric dentist in Las Vegas will examine their tooth and determine if there is any active decay or other damage that first needs to be addressed. If there is active decay, this will need to be removed and filled under local anesthesia.
Then, once that’s been taken care of, we will take an impression of their tooth and send it to a dental lab that will create a custom-made stainless steel crown to fit over their tooth. While we wait to receive the official crown, a temporary immediate dental crown will be placed over your child’s tooth.
It may take a few weeks to receive the stainless steel crown. Your child will return for a separate appointment, where the temporary crown will be removed and the official crown will be fitted to check for fit and appearance. Then, we will cement it into place.
They can withstand a significant amount of chewing force, unlike other crown materials which are much weaker and have shorter lifespans. Stainless steel crowns are the gold standard for treating primary teeth that have been decayed, damaged, or have undergone pulpotomy treatment.
Stainless steel crowns are made of durable metal materials that strengthen and protect a tooth from damage. These crowns are superior because of the heavy-duty materials they’re made from. A stainless steel crown helps restore your child’s ability to chew their food.
Pediatric dental crowns are usually made of stainless steel or zirconia.
Stainless steel crowns are regularly used to treat primary teeth. They protect your child’s baby teeth until they are ready to naturally fall out. Some parents think to themselves, “well, what’s the point of that if the tooth just falls out anyway?”
Your child’s baby teeth are not trivial. They help your child eat, speak, and maintain their smile. More than that though, they also maintain space in the mouth for the permanent tooth when it’s ready to erupt. If your child’s baby tooth becomes decayed or severely damaged without treatment, your child could prematurely lose the tooth.
This will result in the surrounding teeth shifting and blocking the space for the eruption of the permanent tooth. By placing a dental crown on vulnerable teeth, we prevent these unfortunate and preventable circumstances.
If your child needs a stainless steel crown, contact us at Desert Kids Dental today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sandra Thompson.
1 in 5 children between the age of 5 and 11 have at least one untreated decayed tooth.