Our teeth don’t heal naturally. This means that once they have a condition like a dental cavity, or when they become chipped, they won’t improve without the proper care. In fact, these conditions can progress and, in some cases, jeopardize the vitality of the teeth. Teeth are incredibly important for many aspects of our day-to-day life, such as eating and speaking, not to mention the huge role they play in social interactions. Therefore, it is important to keep them in good health to maintain their functionality. This is the goal of restorative dentistry in Apollo Beach.
What is restorative dentistry?
Restorative dentistry is a specialty of dentistry that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of many dental conditions. It integrates multiple disciplines to maintain or improve the functionality and esthetic of our precious teeth. This specialty not only involves adults but also children. Many procedures can help restore teeth no matter their age. Therefore, if your child is having any trouble with their teeth, don’t hesitate to visit a kid’s dental office near you.
Restorative dentistry and tooth decay
The main reason why people look for restorative dentistry, and especially in children is because of tooth decay. Children are very prone to dental cavities, particularly between the ages of 6 and 11. At this age, kids can have dental cavities in their primary or permanent teeth. The higher risk for tooth decay could be a result of many different things, from the fact that children tend to eat more sugar, to how their oral health habits may be lacking. Either way, it is vital to stay attentive to your child’s oral health by taking them to pediatric offices near you.
When a dental cavity is detected, its severity should be determined. In the early stages, when the infection only involves the outer layers of your tooth (enamel and dentin), your dentist may use a filling to treat it. Fillings can be made of different materials, like amalgams or resins. The latter is used more frequently given its natural appearance. The color of the filling will match the color of your teeth.
Tooth decay can affect your child’s baby teeth, causing a lot of pain and discomfort. In these cases, a pulpectomy is performed. It consists of drilling a hole into the tooth to extract all of the pulp, which is the central part of the tooth that holds the blood vessels and nerve. This procedure is performed to prevent the premature loss of the patient’s primary teeth due to dental cavities.
Premature loss of baby teeth
A child’s primary teeth start to fall out on average at the age of 6, and the process takes approximately 6 years. Generally, primary teeth become loose and start to fall when the permanent teeth are about to erupt. This is how our bodies ensure that there is enough space for each tooth. However, in some cases, this perfect regulation can be affected due to tooth decay or injuries.
When a child loses a baby tooth prematurely, this can have some repercussions on the future alignment of their teeth. Generally, the other teeth start to shift and occupy this space. Thanks to restorative dentistry, this can be avoided. A dental appliance called a space maintainer can help preserve this space for the permanent tooth to erupt without any trouble.
Restorative dentistry involves many different procedures which all have the same goal of maintaining the functionality of our teeth. Taking your children to the dentist from an early age should be considered an investment that will ensure they have optimal oral health for their entire life.