Maintaining oral health is important for children’s overall well-being and development. Fortunately, advances in dentistry now allow pediatric dental providers to restore young smiles in creative, minimally invasive ways. In this article, we will explore 5 common restorative procedures offered through pediatric dental services that help children build confidence and establish healthy habits.

Filling Cavities

Despite diligent home care, cavities remain the most prevalent children’s disease worldwide per the World Health Organization. When caught early, decay is easily addressed – a pediatric dentist numbs the tooth with anesthesia before drilling out the cavity. It is then filled with white composite resin material that looks just like natural enamel. Resin bonds to the tooth, blocking further decay beneath restored surfaces.

Pulpotomies

A pulpotomy may be recommended when decay reaches the pulp chamber but has not yet invaded the root canal spaces. This common primary tooth procedure involves removing just the pulp tissue above the root canals with small drill bits and medicaments. Then sealing the canal entrances to protect the remaining healthy tissue below. And then filling the access cavity, leaving a tooth comfortable, functional, and salvageable until exfoliation occurs naturally.

Stainless Steel Crowns

Placing stainless steel crowns (SSCs) may be best for restoring heavily decayed or cracked baby teeth at high risk of future issues. SSCs have a number of benefits – strong, durable material protects sensitive tooth nerves. A snap-fitting crown encircles the entire tooth, sealing it off from new decay beneath. It allows immediate protection versus multiple visits for fillings that may eventually fail. And avoids the greater trauma and financial cost of future extractions.

Space Maintainers

When a baby tooth is lost prematurely, the adjacent teeth can drift inward toward the empty space. This gap needs to be promptly addressed to avoid cascading crowding problems. Removable space maintainers like flippers or bonded buttons perform three duties – hold neighboring teeth in their proper arch positions until the permanent tooth comes in.

It maintains adequate jawbone and gum ridge formation at the site, and encourages permanent teeth to erupt straight into the dental arch as intended. Timely installed by pediatric dentists, these simple orthodontic adjuncts spare kids forced extractions later for severely impacted adult teeth.

Full Mouth Reconstruction

In advanced cases where decay has decimated large portions of a child’s baby or even permanent dentition, full mouth reconstruction under general anesthesia may provide a fresh start. Teeth are surgically extracted and impressions are sent for temporary dentures. With gums fully healed, custom permanent partial or full dentures are manufactured at an off-site dental lab.

These are strategically designed with barbed attachments for stability and fixed securely back into the mouth. While extensive, full mouth reconstruction through pediatric dental services is often much less traumatic psychologically and physically than serialized surgeries and restorations. It spares young patient pain in the process and gives them the confidence to develop normally with peers.

Conclusion

Thanks to innovative new therapies and technologies available through pediatric dental services, children no longer have to endure extensive surgery or live with broken teeth affecting their lives. By restoring healthy smiles through minimally invasive procedures, we ensure they can focus on simply enjoying childhood free from dental disease worries or related self-esteem issues. With adequate prevention, most complex restorative cases can even be avoided altogether.