When preparing your child for a dental crown, the best choice is to be transparent about what to expect. Let them know that placing a dental crown is a standard and straightforward procedure. Placing a crown is intended for children with cavities, a broken tooth, or a primary tooth that hasn’t adequately developed.
Tips For Preparing Your Child For A Dental Crown
Explain the procedure in a kid-friendly way and skip any details that might be scary. Instead, stick to the basics of the process and explain what is expected of the patient.
Dental Crown Script for Parents
“When we reach the dentist’s office, we will go into a room with the dentist and her helpers. Then she will give you a medicine that makes everything feel more comfortable. Then, finally, she will place the crown on your tooth to make it stronger!”
The Steps To Placing A Dental Crown On A Child’s Tooth
The dentist will numb the area around the tooth to be restored, put a dental dam in place, remove decay and shape the tooth to fit the crown. Unlike crowns for adults, which often need several visits to the dentist, crowns for children are placed in a single procedure.
Which Crown is Best for Kids?
Stainless steel crowns are the most common crown used in pediatric dentistry. Also known as “silver” crowns, these shiny metal crowns are solid and durable. A perfect option if you aren’t concerned about esthetics.
Can Kids Get White Crowns?
Yes. If you are concerned about the look of stainless steel crowns, zirconia crowns are a cosmetic option.
Why Put Crowns on Baby Teeth?
Typically a crown is placed on baby teeth to support and protect a severely decayed tooth too weak for a dental filling. A dental crown is an excellent option to cover and protect a tooth with a large cavity.
Does My Four-Year-Old Need A Dental Crown?
Crowns might be necessary if your child, under ordinary circumstances, would probably have those teeth until age 12. If those teeth are lost prematurely, the other teeth will shift to fill the gap.
Why Would a Two-Year-Old Need A Crown?
The number one reason a two-year-old needs crowns is because of tooth decay. Did you know that 42% of at least one cavity? Other reasons for a crown include chipped or broken teeth.
Read this link to learn more about why your child may need a crown for primary teeth.