Children's Root Canals and Crowns

A crown is necessary when there is extensive decay or abnormal shape due to decay or injury.  A crown can make the tooth stronger and improve its appearance by restoring its shape and size.  For front teeth, a white esthetic crown is used and for back teeth, a stainless steel crown is used.  A white facing crown can be placed on back teeth, however, such a crown is not as durable as one without a white facing.

When a cavity is very deep, it can cause irritation of the nerve and become painful. In order to restore a tooth which has nerve involvement, a baby root canal, often called a "pulpotomy," is necessary.  A "pulpotomy" removes the nerve in the tooth and makes the tooth pain-free. The tooth then needs to be restored with a stainless steel crown because the tooth is now weak. This crown is a tooth-shaped silver cap that protects the tooth when the tooth can no longer hold the usual filling. This crown is cemented to place and comes out when the primary teeth are ready to be lost.

White Crowns

White posterior zirconium crowns may be an option for your child instead of a stainless steel crown, which is the most common type of crown used in pediatric dentistry. Sometimes, if the decay has significantly damaged the tooth, it is often necessary to place a crown "cap" on the tooth, even though it is a primary tooth. Crowns are placed on teeth that have large areas of decay the could possibly break if restored with a simple filling.

These white crowns are made of solid Zirconia, a biocompatible material that, until recently, had only been used in high-end, adult cosmetic dentistry.  Composed of entirely one solid tooth-colored material, they look extremely esthetic, from the front view and on the inside of the mouth. They are exceptionally strong and blend seamlessly with surrounding natural teeth. These crowns are a great new option for some of our patients.