What does the prosthetic treatment imply?
According to the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, the dentist has to use a dental crown to restore a child’s/teenager’s tooth and it’s function (correct masticatory function, muscular function) if:
- the tooth has been affected by a serious decay on a large surface
- if it has been fractured or broken
- if it has undergone endodontic treatment (nerve extraction and root canal obturation).
Dental crowns can be applied on both permanent and temporary teeth and can be manufactured in the laboratory by a technician or can be prefabricated in the case of temporary (milk) teeth.
Dental crowns for temporary teeth usually come in different sizes and the dentist can select the one that fits best. Crowns are made of different materials: some are made of metal, others have a metallic structure and a ceramic facet; there are also crowns with metallic structure and composite or acrylic facets, which have a natural color. Lately, dentists use zirconium crowns for temporary dentition.
Dental crowns can be easily applied to children with temporary (milk) teeth, in just one session. Even if the temporary dentition will be replaced by the permanent dentition, it is very important not to lose teeth to early.
Crowns help with maintaining the health of the dental root (the natural foundation of teeth) and ensure the correct phonetic and masticatory function and all their secondary processes.
It is also advantageous to use dental crowns because they are very strong and have good endurance, so they can last for a long time, especially if the child keeps a correct oral hygiene routine (brushes at least twice a day and uses dental floss).
