Marshfield Restorative dental Care

Benefits of Restorative Dentistry

for Your Child

Restorative dentistry will improve your child’s smile by filling in gaps, replacing missing teeth, and covering eroded or chipped enamel. We also restore tooth functionality by repairing damage, removing tooth decay, treating infections, and replacing missing teeth.

It will be much easier for your child to speak and chew their food with strong, durable restorations. Tooth decay and infections can be quite painful if left untreated. This pain can be debilitating and reduce your child’s quality of life.

A pulpotomy removes the source of the infection, effectively stopping the pain. Treating tooth decay early on prevents the need for more invasive work and stops the decay from reaching the point of painful infection.

Crowns protect weakened and damaged teeth from further breakage by using a durable cap that absorbs chewing forces. This allows your child to eat their favorite foods without worrying about breaking their teeth.

Preserving the health of your child’s teeth is very important because their teeth maintain space in the mouth and are important in their oral health and development. When your child loses a tooth, they will suffer from irreversible bone loss, shifting teeth, and changes to their facial structure.

It can even cause impaction of the permanent tooth if the surrounding teeth begin to drift into the space where it needs to break through the gums.

What to Expect During the

Filling Procedure

Dr. Julie or Dr. Amanda will first examine your tooth to look for any signs of cavities like discoloration, enamel erosion, or holes in the tooth. An x-ray will confirm whether your child has any tooth decay.

Before we can fill the tooth, we will need to remove the decay. We will use special numbing agents to completely numb your child’s mouth before using any invasive tools. This will prevent your child from feeling pain or discomfort. If your child is nervous, we can also sedate them.

Using a dental drill, we will drill out the decayed portion of the tooth. Then, the tooth will be thoroughly cleaned and etched to help the adhesive stick. This involves roughening the tooth up a little bit and applying a conditioning liquid. We will use a shade guide to match the shade of the dental filling to your natural teeth.

Composite resin is then applied to the tooth in layers and molded to replace the missing tooth structure. The resin is then cured with UV light which instantly hardens the filling. Additional trimming can be performed to ensure no uneven or sharp edges. Finally, the tooth is polished to match the sheen of your natural teeth.

Recovering from Tooth Decay

Composite Fillings

Composite fillings can restore decayed teeth and strengthen tooth structure after damage from a cavity. During this common procedure, decayed tooth structure is removed, and your child’s tooth is restored using a special tooth-colored composite. This composite filling mimics the natural appearance of your child’s tooth, making it a good alternative to traditional mercury-amalgam fillings, which can cause discoloration and may require the removal of more tooth structure.

How Long Do

Dental Fillings Last?

On average, composite fillings last 5 to 7 years, which isn’t as long as traditional amalgam fillings. While composite fillings are slightly less durable, they’re a much better material for your child’s health, tooth structure, and smile aesthetics.

Composite fillings are tooth-colored, biocompatible, mercury and metal-free, harden instantly, and preserve more of the natural tooth structure. Fillings will last longer if your child cares for them by practicing good oral hygiene, preventing wear and tear, and avoiding stains.

Protecting Damaged Teeth

Stainless Steel Crowns

If your child’s tooth has been cracked or damaged, or if it is severely decayed, a crown may be required to protect the remaining tooth tissue. Dr. Julie will gently remove any infected material in your child’s tooth, and attach a crown to cover its chewing surface and protect the remaining tooth structure.

“Baby Root Canals"

Pulpotomies

Pulpotomies are also called “baby root canals,” because they are performed on primary (baby) teeth that have been damaged by decay. When the nerve pulp of the tooth becomes infected, it can result in severe pain and discomfort, and if left untreated, even the loss of the tooth. During a pulpotomy, Dr. Julie removes any infected nerve pulp tissue, then disinfects and treats the remaining pulp with an antibacterial medication to preserve the rest of the pulp and the root of the tooth. To finish the treatment, a crown or filling is placed to protect the tooth from further damage.