Treatment For Cavities
The treatment options we use for children will depend on many different factors and can be quite complex. The two most important factors are the child’s age and their risk of developing future cavities. The treatment can range from simply monitoring or “watching” a cavity in a small child or an older child who will lose the baby tooth soon, to having to do a crown or cap in a child who has large decay on the tooth.
The treatment of children’s teeth and more importantly, the treatment of the child that those teeth are attached to, is much different than treatment approaches for adults. We have to take into consideration the child’s psychological development, ability to cooperate in the dental chair, and dietary and dental hygiene habits. Equally important is the expectation of the child’s parents and the child’s experience of the dental treatment! In a nutshell, the cavity treatment options are outlined below.
- Monitor or Watch a Cavity
- Fluoride Treatment
- Treating a Cavity with SDF, Silver Diamine Fluoride
- White Resin Filling
- Pulp Capping
- Pulp/Tooth Nerve Treatment
- Stainless Steel or White Crown
- Tooth Removal
With any decision to treat your child, we always weigh several options to individualize the choice to your child, because all children are different, and we strive to treat your child as we would our own. When there is a choice between two good options, we let the parents know the options and let them decide. In a nutshell, shown below are the options on how we can provide treatment.
- Nitrous Oxide/Laughing Gas
- Local Anesthesia
- Papoose Board Safety Blanket
- Referral for dental care under sedation in a surgery center or hospital. Click here for details.