It is incredibly important to maintain the health of the primary (baby) teeth. Neglected teeth can and frequently do lead to long-term problems including: improper chewing and eating ability, collapse of space preventing permanent teeth from erupting into the correct position, development abnormalities of the jaw bones and muscles, and often involve pain that prevents your child from being about to focus and concentrate leading to issues with speech, learning, and self-esteem.
At Barrett Family Dental we believe that oral health begins with the eruption of the very first tooth. Children’s teeth begin forming before birth and typically erupt within the first year of life. We recommend that your child be seen at the age of one or when their first tooth comes in. Building a relationship of trust with the dentist early in the child’s life will lead to better oral health throughout the child’s life.
Stainless steel crowns are tooth-shaped caps that fit over an entire tooth. They are commonly used in pediatric dentistry as a way of preserving baby teeth that have become significantly decayed or damaged. Although the primary teeth will eventually be lost to make room for permanent teeth, it is important that they are not lost prematurely. The premature loss of primary teeth can have lasting effects on the permanent teeth and the surrounding bone of the jaws. Therefore, stainless steel crowns provide protection for baby teeth until they are naturally lost.
Pulpotomy is a restorative technique used to save a severely decayed primary tooth where the decay has entered the pulp tissue of the tooth. It is similar to a root canal and is also referred to as pulpectomy or nerve treatment. During a pulpotomy the decayed tissue is removed to prevent the loss of the tooth and spread of infection. After treatment, the tooth is restored with a stainless steel crown to protect the primary tooth until it is naturally lost
A space maintainer is an oral appliance made to “maintain” the space left behind by a missing baby tooth. They are generally made of metal or acrylic and can either be removable or attached to adjacent teeth. The main function of a space maintainer is to prevent the surrounding teeth from shifting into the space left by a baby tooth that was lost too soon. Once the permanent tooth begins to erupt, the space maintainer is removed and the tooth is allowed to come in on its own.
