Dental crowns from Greenpoint Pediatric Dentistry are designed to cover up, protect, and restore damaged teeth. They’re a great option for restoring decayed and infected teeth, as well as teeth that have been cracked or broken by oral trauma. Dr. Jones and Dr. John are here to help you restore your little one’s smile with restorative dentistry in Greenpoint, including dental crowns. Contact us now to schedule a consultation.

Stainless Steel Crowns For Baby Teeth

If your child has a damaged or decayed baby tooth, a stainless steel crown will typically be recommended. These crowns come in a variety of standard, pre-fitted sizes. They can typically be placed without removing much of the tooth, which makes them more appropriate for baby teeth, and simplifies the treatment process for kids.

In addition to this stainless steel crowns are more affordable. This makes them more appropriate for treating baby teeth, which will eventually fall out and be replaced by adult teeth in the future.

The main drawback of stainless steel crowns is that they do not look natural. However, since this type of crown is usually only used for baby teeth, this will only be a problem until your child’s adult tooth erupts and replaces the treated baby tooth.

Tooth-Colored Crowns For Adult Teeth

If your child has a damaged adult tooth, we will recommend a custom-fitted, tooth-colored porcelain crown. This is because porcelain crowns look and feel more natural, and they typically have a longer lifespan than stainless steel crowns.

Your child’s crown will look and feel just like a natural tooth, which is the primary benefit of this treatment. It is more expensive for your child to get this type of crown, since the crown is not pre-fitted, but instead must be custom-built to fit into your child’s mouth.

However, this investment is worth it, since the crown can last up to 10-20 years or longer, and will keep your child’s smile looking perfect for years to come.

Understanding The Dental Crown Process

To begin the process, your child’s mouth will be cleaned and numbed by Dr. John. After this, the process will proceed a bit differently depending on whether your little one needs a stainless steel crown or a tooth-colored crown.

If your child is getting a steel crown, Dr. John will prepare the area. He may need to remove a small amount of tooth material. Then, he will select a properly-sized pre-fitted crown and bond it to the tooth with powerful dental cement. This completes the procedure.

For a permanent crown, though, Dr. John will need to remove more tooth material to prepare for the placement of the final crown. After this, he will take a mold of your child’s teeth and send it to a dental lab. This is where their final crown will be built.

Then, he will place a temporary resin crown on your child’s tooth. This will protect your child’s tooth for 2-3 weeks until their final crown arrives at Greenpoint Pediatric Dentistry.

Once your child’s crown arrives, you’ll come in for their final appointment. Dr. Jones will remove the temporary crown, make sure their porcelain crown fits perfectly, and then attach the crown to their tooth, restoring their smile and bite.