Stainless steel (metal) crowns were the only option for fixing badly decayed baby molars until recently. We are now proud to offer an esthetic alternative. Atlantis Children’s Dentistry uses ceramic zirconia crowns to fix both front and back baby teeth.
In a lot of cases a smaller cavity can be repaired with a conventional white filling. However, baby teeth with larger cavities may require a crown in any of the following situations:
- The cavity is large
- The tooth is badly damaged
- The cavity involves the tooth’s nerve
- A previous filling has failed
Before and after white crowns:
The Difference Between White Crowns and Metal Crowns
Metal crowns are made out of stainless steel. They have been used for many years and have a very high success rate. They are silver in colour, and so are more visible in the mouth. White crowns are made out of ceramic zirconia. They are highly polished and have a natural esthetic quality. It is difficult to differentiate between a tooth that has a white crown and one that does not.
What happens when the tooth is ready to fall out?
Permanent front teeth erupt between the ages of 6 and 8; permanent back teeth erupt between the ages of 10 and 12. When the baby tooth is ready to fall out, the new permanent tooth pushes on the baby tooth and causes the roots to disintegrate. A baby tooth that has a cap (white or silver), will fall out on its own. It does not require any special procedure to remove it.
How long should a crown last?
Crowns should last until the baby tooth is ready to fall out on its own as long as proper home care and regular maintenance has been completed.