Cavities form because of dental plaque buildup, which eats the tooth enamel and eventually causes a hole. Think of plaque as a sticky substance that covers the teeth. It forms when bacteria that are usually present in the mouth combine with food or saliva.
Certain things can increase the risk of cavities, such as snacking a lot, drinking sugary liquids, and not having good oral hygiene. The best way to prevent cavities is to make sure the child brushes their teeth routinely, and avoid eating a lot of snacks, particularly sugary ones.
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Cavities will never go away on their own. They will continue to grow in size until they comprise the entire tooth. The cavity can cause brittle teeth or even a fracture. If it reaches the nerve, it might even require a root canal or an extraction.
But prompt restorative care can prevent that, which is why it’s so important to take your child to the dentist at the first signs of a cavity. We can inspect your child’s tooth and quickly take care of the cavity before more expensive dental procedures are needed!
When you arrive at our practice, you and your child will be greeted by a warm environment and the smile of our staff.
There are just 3 simple steps:
We’ll identify the location and severity of the cavity to determine the best treatment.
We’ll apply a local anesthetic and start cleaning out the cavity. We also have laughing gas available, if you would prefer.
Once there are no traces of the cavity, we add the filling and finish the process.
It can be strange to think children can need dental crowns, but it can happen for several reasons. We usually recommend them when we see a baby tooth with a very large cavity, there is a fracture, or a primary tooth hasn’t properly developed. At our office, we use stainless steel crowns, also known as "shiny iron man teeth!" Stainless steel crowns come in various pre-made sizes, so they can usually be applied in one visit. Plus, they're strong, durable, and have less chance of fracture than white crowns.
