Tooth-Colored Fillings
Kids are not immune to tooth decay or dental problems. One of the most common restorative dentistry solutions your pediatric dentist delivers is tooth-colored fillings. Whether a child has dental damage or a toothache, at Kid Grins in Edina, MN, Dr. Mitchell Loeb recommends the most appropriate solution to treat baby teeth or permanent teeth and maintain your child’s oral health.
Why Tooth-Colored Fillings Are Great for Kids
Fillings are not just for cavities and tooth-colored fillings are particularly versatile. There are many possible reasons a child might qualify for a tooth-colored filling:
- Tooth decay. Kids may try to brush well, but even their best efforts are not finessed enough to reach every corner. When teeth are not thoroughly cleaned and flossed, tooth decay results. Diets high in sugar also lead to cavities in kids while thin tooth enamel complicates matters and makes some children prone to oral health problems.
- Cracks. If a child bites down on something too hard or something they shouldn’t bite at all, a tooth-colored filling can correct big or small problems, keeping a tooth where it needs to be and preventing bacteria or food particles from invading and causing additional complications.
- Chips. A toy to the mouth, running into a wall, or falling at the playground can chip a tooth in an instant. Without intervention, this seemingly cosmetic problem can become a bigger issue that requires a filling or larger repair.
- Discoloration. When a child has a tooth that does not match the rest of their teeth, this discoloration is noticeable. If the problem is in a tooth that will not be lost for a long time, composite material does a great cover-up.
A tooth-colored filling is a nice way to correct a problem in a child’s smile without broadcasting the solution since the composite material is designed to match natural tooth enamel.
White fillings stabilize the teeth they’re applied to, fixing them and protecting neighboring teeth at the same time. Future dental problems can sometimes be prevented with this added strength.
Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings for Children
There are many benefits to giving a child a tooth-colored filling, some which may surprise parents but make sense the more you learn:
- Maintain alignment. A baby tooth fixed with a filling will maintain its important placeholder role until permanent teeth erupt. Though the tooth will fall out eventually, that may take years. A baby tooth pulled too soon interrupts proper alignment, eventually leading to complex orthodontics.
- Safe materials. Unlike silver fillings which contain traces of mercury and can cause allergy problems for sensitive patients, composite fillings are non-toxic, bond directly to the tooth, and make the tooth structure stronger so further repairs are less likely.
- Hardly noticeable. The color of tooth-colored fillings make them appealing to parents who want their child’s smile to look complete and without noticeable repairs. Kids feel more confident when their smile is fixed and looks normal.
The White Composite Filling Treatment
The application of tooth-colored fillings is a routine procedure, though every dental treatment is a big deal for kids. The littlest patients with the biggest worries about dental care can be tended to with gentle measures to reduce anxiety.
Sometimes it’s better to avoid telling your children too many details about a procedure at the pediatric dentist because they may inflate the circumstances into a scary experience. Allow your dentist to talk to them as they do the work, if they want, and get the procedure done as efficiently as possible.
Get Tooth-Colored Fillings for Kids in Edina, MN
A tooth-colored filling is an easy treatment to undergo, and one of the most reliable solutions for fixing baby teeth and permanent teeth. Find out if a filling is the right solution to preserve your child’s oral health. Contact Kid Grins in Edina, MN, for an appointment.
