Dental Fillings Are the Best Gift You Can Give Your Child for Cavities
Family is very significant to us, especially our kids. As a parent, you would want to see your kid happy. Therefore, you will do everything to see them smile.
Some of the reasons your kid might not be happy are dental cavities. Depending on your kid’s eating and oral health habits, they might develop tooth cavities. If the tooth cavities are left untreated, your kid might be at risk of further tooth decay and the need for invasive treatments such as a root canal treatment.
To treat the tooth cavity and prevent the prevention of decay, your kid’s dentist might recommend dental fillings. Dental fillings are tooth restorations that your dentist might recommend to fill large cavities or chipped teeth.
Types of Dental Fillings
When you seek dental fillings for kids, your dentist might recommend any of the following types of fillings:
Gold Fillings
Gold dental fillings are alloys of gold, copper, and other metals and are also known as inlays or Onlays. If your kid has cavities on the back teeth, gold fillings would be suitable since they are durable and strong. However, gold dental fillings are not as aesthetic as tooth-colored ones.
Silver or Amalgam Fillings
Amalgam fillings are alloys of liquid mercury, silver, tin, and copper. Dentist’s used amalgam fillings initially due to their strength and durability. However, they are not popular nowadays since they lack smile aesthetics and require the removal of large parts of your kid’s teeth.
Composite-Resin Dental Fillings
Composite-resin or tooth-colored fillings are the most popular types of dental restorations for teeth with cavities. The composite-resin fillings provide smile aesthetics and require removing fewer parts of your kid’s tooth during preparation.
Dental Filling Procedure
When your child is getting dental fillings, your dentist in Martinsville will begin by numbing the area around the tooth using local anesthesia. If your child is feeling nervous, the dentist might administer a sedative to make the kid feel relaxed and comfortable in the dentist’s chair.
Next, the dentist will drill on the cavity on the child’s tooth and use air abrasion or laser to clean the tooth. The dentist will then test the area during tooth decay removal to determine if the dental cavity is free of decay.
Once the tooth is clear of decay, the dentist will clean the dental cavity to remove debris and bacteria. If there are signs of decay near the tooth’s root, the dentist will place a glass ionomer first followed by the composite, amalgam, or gold material.
After filling your tooth, the dentist will finish and polish it. If your child is getting tooth-colored resin fillings, the dentist might use a special light to harden the composite material. Once the composite material has hardened, the dentist will trim off the excess material and polish the tooth.
Benefits of Dental Fillings for Kids
Kids are more susceptible to dental cavities due to the high levels of sugar intake and sometimes poor oral hygiene. Therefore, by getting dental fillings for tooth cavities, your child can enjoy the following benefits.
- Dental fillings prevent the progression of decay as well as restore the normal functions and appearance of your child’s teeth
- They fix small pits on your kid’s enamel, preventing the action of harmful bacteria that can damage the tooth
- By replacing the damaged parts of the tooth, the dental fillings preserve the remaining parts of the enamel
- Tooth fillings require only one day for placement and are cheaper than dental crowns
For your kid to enjoy the benefits above, Dr. Brown recommends you visit your child’s or family dentist for dental fillings immediately you notice signs of tooth cavities.
How to Take Care of Your Kids Dental Fillings
Just like any other tooth restoration, dental fillings require care for durability. Some dental fillings can stay up to 10 years without the need for a replacement. Below are some of the care tips for your kid’s dental fillings:
- Brushing and flossing regularly using a pea-sized toothpaste and a toothbrush with gentle bristles
- Regular dental check-ups
- Avoiding biting or chewing hard objects
Where to Get Dental Filling Near Me
If you need a dental filling for your child, you can visit us at Kids First Dental in Martinsville for quality and satisfactory services.