Cavity Treatments

Different Types of Cavity Treatments

Silver Diamine Fluoride

For your child who has severe early childhood caries (SECC) and needs early intervention to prevent the disease from progressing, SDF provides the quickest way to get the affected teeth or difficult-to-treat caries managed in one visit. For best results, the application may be recommended every 6-12 months.

SDF may be an alternative to traditional cavity treatments in Frisco for uncooperative and fearful children.

Composite White Fillings

Composite, or tooth-colored fillings, closely match the color and physical appearance of our natural teeth and are preferred by most pediatric dentists for restorations made in aesthetic areas. We can also use them successfully on molars or other chewing surfaces as long as the

fillings are relatively small. For larger fillings or those that go in between the teeth (interproximal decay), we may recommend silver fillings. However, for the most part, we can use both types of filling materials, composite or amalgam, to restore teeth affected by decay.

Zirconia

White Crowns (sprig)

Zirconia crowns for kids are strong and durable and create excellent aesthetic results.

The crown should look very similar to your child’s natural tooth! These are becoming an increasingly popular choice in children’s dentistry. At Stonebrook Pediatric Dentistry, we use SPRIG Crowns. Parents have been incredibly happy to have the option of a crown that looks like a natural tooth!

Extractions

We must extract a child’s tooth if it is so badly decayed that even a root canal won’t save the tooth. A tooth should also be extracted if it is crowding other teeth or fractured beyond repair. Children getting braces may need to extract some teeth to allow teeth to move to their proper positions.

Your child’s case and the kind of extraction they need will determine the type of treatment. If the tooth we extract is visible and easy to remove, Dr. Bhaumik and Dr. John will perform a simple extraction.

This merely calls for numbing the area with a local anesthetic and gently extracting the tooth with forceps. If your child’s tooth is impacted, we must remove some surrounding gum tissue in order to reach the tooth. We will numb your child with nitrous oxide or sedate via IV before this more-complex procedure begins. To prepare your child, you should discuss the steps involved with the Stonebrook Pediatric Dentistry team before the actual treatment to help ease their mind and nerves.

Stainless

Steel Crowns

Before placing any fillings, children are made to feel comfortable in the dental setting. Sometimes this is achieved by using pediatric oral sedation or nitrous oxide. The tooth affected is made numb using a local anesthetic, and the decay is removed. The preparation in the tooth is then exposed to acid etch and a resin bonding material before the composite is placed into the tooth.

Once the filling is in place, a blue light is placed on the filling, making it hard. Finally, adjustments are made so that the child is comfortable biting.

Pulp Therapy (Nerve Treatment)

The pulp of a tooth is the inner, central core of the tooth. The pulp contains nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue, and reparative cells. The purpose of pulp therapy in Pediatric Dentistry is to maintain the vitality of the affected tooth (so the tooth is not lost).

Dental caries (cavities) and traumatic injury are the main reasons a tooth requires pulp therapy. Pulp therapy is often referred to as a “nerve treatment,” “children’s root canal,” “pulpectomy,” or “pulpotomy.” The two common forms of pulp therapy in children’s teeth are pulpotomy and pulpectomy.

A pulpotomy removes the diseased pulp tissue within the crown portion of the tooth. Next, we place an agent to prevent bacterial growth and calm the remaining nerve tissue. This is followed by a final restoration (usually a stainless steel crown).

A pulpectomy is required when the entire pulp is involved (into the tooth’s root canal(s)). We completely remove the diseased pulp tissue from the crown and root during this treatment. We cleanse, disinfect, and fill the canals with a resorbable material in the case of primary teeth. Then, a final restoration is placed. A permanent tooth would be filled with a non-resorbing material.