Tooth Cavities In Children: How Can Dentists Fix Them?

All children lose their teeth at a certain age, typically when their adult teeth start growing. Teaching your child about oral hygiene as soon as their teeth start developing is crucial — it reinforces a necessary habit when their teeth can no longer fall out and be replaced!

No matter how hard you try to help your child maintain good dental hygiene, they might end up having tooth cavities. When cavities do happen, get in touch with a Kid-friendly Dentist in Reston, VA, to get information and treatment for that cavity.

About The Stages Of Fillings

Different ages require different types of fillings. Here is some of what we treat at Optimal Dental Center in Reston, VA:

• Baby Teeth: Baby teeth are temporary, but your child will have them for many years — until it is time for adult teeth to develop. Therefore, brushing baby teeth is still important. Cavities in baby teeth happen but are detrimental to oral health and hygiene. Most dentists will recommend filling them before they are replaced by their adult teeth. Dentists cannot just pull primary teeth when cavities happen — these teeth guide adult teeth into their permanent place; losing them before they fall out can be detrimental to permanent teeth health.
• Tooth Decay Filling: Tooth decay happens after a cavity (or other damage) and must be assessed before a dentist can decide on the best treatment course. Most dentists recommend crowns for extensive tooth decay damage. Afterward, children will need to practice good oral hygiene to maintain the crown. Metal or white composite is required for making baby teeth fillings, as they take the least amount of fitting time and are the most cost-effective. Other fillings like ceramic and gold are not suitable for children. Get in touch with a Reston kid-friendly Dentist to understand what kind of filling is best for your child’s tooth decay.
• Treatment of Recurrent Tooth Decay: Filling a decayed tooth sometimes takes care of tooth decay issues. However, recurrent tooth decay sometimes happens. Teeth with cavities are especially prone to recurring tooth decay. When this happens, dentists typically remove the initial filling, assess the damage, and replace the filling.
• Damage and decay caused by other issues: Tooth decay and cavities drive most filling needs. Aside from tooth decay, your child might need a filling or crown due to impact trauma (for instance, if your child chips a tooth while playing soccer or if they crack a tooth on a hard piece of food). Your child’s dentist is the best person to decide how to treat your child.

Get in touch with the dentists at our facility today to understand your child’s tooth problem.