.png)
At Kite & Key Dentistry®, Dr. Julia Winter treats patients of all ages. As an experienced family dentist, she can provide your little ones with the care they need to treat fillings, damaged teeth, premature baby tooth loss, and more. If you are located in Ridley Park or Folsom, get more details below, or contact us for an appointment now.
If your child has a minor-to-moderate cavity in a baby tooth and you’d like to avoid a traditional dental filling, SDF (silver diamine fluoride) may be a good alternative.
This is a special type of tooth varnish made using silver, fluoride, ammonia, and water. When it touches the decayed tooth material, it kills the decay and seals the tooth, preserving it without the need to fill the tooth.
This treatment is typically only used for baby teeth that will fall out naturally in the future, though, since the SDF does permanently discolor the tooth and turn it a grayish color.
For large cavities or teeth that have been cracked or broken due to an oral injury, a pre-fitted stainless steel crown may be recommended at Kite & Key Dentistry®. This type of crown is built to look and feel just like a natural tooth, and is bonded directly onto the damaged tooth after it has been cleaned and prepared by Dr. Julia Winter.
Stainless steel crowns are ideal for baby teeth, since they are durable enough to protect the tooth until the tooth falls out naturally, but they are relatively affordable and easy to place in just a single appointment at our office. However, if your child has a damaged or decayed adult tooth, they will likely be better off with a custom-fitted porcelain dental crown.
If your child loses a baby tooth early due to an oral injury or a serious cavity that results in a tooth infection, a space maintainer must be placed in the gap where the missing tooth used to be. This small metal or plastic prosthetic ensures the proper spacing between your child’s remaining teeth, preventing them from shifting.
This is very important, since the baby teeth act as “guides” when the adult teeth erupt. If your child’s baby teeth shift, this can interfere with the proper eruption of their permanent teeth, and this may require costly orthodontic treatment to correct. Getting a space maintainer keeps their mouth healthy and saves you time, headaches, and money.
An untreated cavity or a cracked or broken tooth can result in a tooth infection in your child’s baby teeth. If this happens, Dr. Winter will recommend a pulpotomy.
This treatment will involve opening up the tooth, cleaning the inside to remove decay, and placing a special material that will encourage the pulp to heal. Then, the tooth will be filled or capped with a dental crown to restore its shape and protect it from further damage.
.png){kind=icon}
