Do Kids Need Dental Fillings?

When little smiles develop cavities, this could cause major discomfort and even risk premature tooth loss. But do kids actually need dental fillings, especially since baby teeth fall out on their own? In today’s blog, your Cleveland, TX, dentist explains why a lifelike filling is crucial for a child’s oral health.

The Damage Caused by Cavities

Cavities form when poor oral hygiene habits and a diet high in sugar and starch create plaque, which weakens and erodes the outer enamel to expose sensitive inner tissues to bacteria. Tooth decay then forms, and will continue to grow in size and severity unless treated. Other causes include teeth grinding or injuries that crack or chip a tooth. Unless treated, the tooth could develop a painful infection. Along with an increase in discomfort, comes the risk of closing a tooth altogether, or of infection spreading to surrounding teeth! To avoid discomfort and other complications, we suggest you bring your child in for an exam if he or she complains about aching teeth. Attending regular checkup and cleaning visits every six months could mean we identify the problem in the earliest stages, addressing it before your child experiences sensitivity or toothaches!

Don’t Ignore Baby Teeth

Yes, the primary teeth will fall out naturally with time. However, that could be weeks, months, or even years away depending on when and where the cavity forms. Ignoring the issue just means a chance for a tooth to become infected and lost, which alters how the permanent teeth erupt and could lead to misalignment. Your child could then need orthodontic treatment in their teen years! In addition, as we touched on above, the infection could have an opportunity to spread to other teeth or into the jawbone itself.

Creating and Placing a Dental Filling

To treat the issue, we will first administer a numbing agent and remove all decay form the tooth. Afterward, we clean it thoroughly and prepare the filling material. Instead of metal, we use a mixture of acrylic and glass known as composite resin, which is durable and can be color-matched to blend with your smile. We apply the material in several layers and then sculpt the tooth as we cure it under a light. Finally, we polish it for a more lifelike appearance. The entire process only takes one visit to complete! If you have any questions, then please give our office a call and let us know!

Your Cleveland, TX Dentist’s Office Offers Children’s Fillings

Cleveland Family Dentistry in Cleveland, TX wants to help your children continue to maintain a complete and healthy smile by addressing tooth decay. To learn more about treating common oral health issues in little smiles, then contact our office at (281) 592-1234 to schedule your appointment today.