Although a child’s first teeth do not stay with them for their whole lives, it is important they survive until their permanent, adult teeth are ready to emerge.
Why Treat Cavities in Baby Teeth?
Practicing good hygiene from a young age ensures that the baby teeth are healthy for the adult teeth to grow in correctly. However, it is still possible for your child to develop cavities, even if they do practice good oral hygiene.
Since a child’s baby teeth are the only teeth they have and losing them may negatively impact their permanent teeth, a dentist might recommend drilling out the cavity and placing a filling or a crown to preserve the teeth. Filling the cavity will prevent further decay and save the tooth so that the baby tooth can keep space open for the adult tooth to grow into the mouth.
What are Baby Fillings Made Of?
Baby teeth fillings are made out of either white composite or metal. Metal fillings are a popular choice because they take less time to put in, and are less expensive than composite fillings. Choosing a cost-effective option is advised since the tooth that will eventually fall out.
Can Tooth Decay Return?
Decay can be a recurring issue, even once it has been removed and the cavity filled. Teeth with cavities between them have a better chance of cavity recurrence than teeth with cavities on exposed surfaces. When decay returns, a dentist will need to take care of the new decay and re-fill the tooth.
Is Tooth Decay the only Reason a Child needs Fillings?
Tooth decay is not the only reason your child may need a filling. Trauma to the face can cause a tooth to crack, which will require a filling. Other issues include incorrectly shaped teeth, underdeveloped teeth, and teeth which have chipped.
Are Dental Fillings the Only Option?
In the case of the front and back teeth needing correction, a dentist may place a crown instead of a filling, as a dental crown can provide more complete correction to the damaged or misshapen tooth than a filling could.