Let's start with our philosophy at Campfire Smiles Pediatric Dentistry:
Don't tell other pediatric dentists but...they are actually just baby teeth! If fixing a cavity is going to prevent pain and infection, then yes, we should fix it. If the tooth is going to fall out before any pain, infection or loss of function occurs, then lets just monitor it! We care more about the little kid that's attached to the teeth!
Because they're more effective. Dental crowns are a common type of dental restoration used to treat damaged or decayed teeth. In pediatric dentistry, crowns can be used to treat a variety of dental issues in children, including cavities, fractured teeth, and teeth with developmental abnormalities.
Anatomically, baby teeth have less enamel than adult teeth and dental fillings stick best to enamel. This means that in baby teeth, fillings last much less time than they would in an adult tooth. On average, a filling in a baby tooth may last 2-3 years. And on average, baby teeth start to fall out between 6-13 years old, depending on which tooth. So if your child is 3 years old, has a cavity on a tooth that won't fall out until 12 years old, do we put in a filling that we know we may need to repair/replace a few times before the tooth falls out? We absolutely can, but would you rather put your child through dental treatment once and only once? Crowns do not have a 100% success rate at lasting for the rest of the baby tooth's life, but we would argue it is 99%!
Unlike adult tooth crowns, baby teeth crowns are actually about the same price fillings. Some insurances actually reimburse more for fillings than crowns! So fortunately, deciding what is the best option for your child's circumstance does not have to be too influenced by a cost difference!
There are several types of pediatric crowns available, each with its own benefits and uses. Let's discuss the different types of pediatric crowns and what you should know about each one.
Stainless steel crowns are the most common type of pediatric crown. They are time-tested, tried and true.
They require minimal tooth cutting. Although it requires multisurface tooth reduction, a stainless steel crown is about 0.5mm thick, which means we do not need to remove too much tooth structure in any one particular area. This basically means that we can easily avoid getting close to the nerve just to fit the crown.
This also means they are fast to place, making them a popular choice for pediatric dentist's and their patients. Kids have a shorter attention span that we have to work within; we want to be in and out as fast as possible!
They are also malleable, meaning we can shape them to fit your child's specific tooth for a tight, long lasting fit.
Most importantly, they last. Any reason to re-treat the tooth isnt likely going to be because of the crown. The baby tooth also still will fall out normally.
The only down-side to a stainless steel crown is the silver color!
Silver is non-negotiable! Zirconia crowns are a newer type of pediatric crown that are becoming increasingly popular. They are made of a strong, tooth-colored material that is proving to be just as strong and long-lasting as stainless steel crowns. They provide a more natural-looking restoration than stainless steel crowns.
This sounds great! Why do we still even do stainless steel crowns then?! Because they're not better than stainless steel crowns, other than in color.
To be as strong as stainless steel, the material is thicker. More tooth cutting has to be done to fit a zirconia crown.
This means they take longer to place, meaning your child has to tolerate treatment for longer.
They are not malleable. Zirconia crowns cannot be bent. That means your child's unique tooth shape/size cannot be accomodated for, we must continue to reduce your child's tooth until the zirconia crown can fit.
Once on properly, zirconia crowns are fantastic! Just, once on properly.
A strip crown is simply a plastic shell of a tooth that is filled with regular white filling material. Consider it a filling that circumferentially and completly covers your child's tooth. Strip crowns are used for front teeth with extensive cavities.
A large filling like this will not last under the bite forces of the back teeth. Strip crowns are not done on back teeth.
Stainless steel crowns with a filling manufactured onto the face of it, to improve esthetics. These crowns have all the benefits of a stainless steel crown, because they are stainless steel crowns! The manufacturer as laser etched and attached a pre-made white filling on the crown so that when placed on front teeth, it's white! The major downside to these types of crowns is that if the white facing chips off, your child will have silver up front and center. A filling cannot be used to predictably patch the chip either.
A strip crown for the back teeth! Many companies have tried to replace the stainless steel crown by creating a durable, esthetic crown for back baby teeth. Thus far, the most succesful is the zirconia crown. There is a recent innovation, released in May 2023. It is an off-white, semi-malleable, allegedly-durable crown that is thinner than zirconia and purported to be more akin to a stainless steel crown. Dr. Dan only wants the best materials for his patients. At Campfire Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we will monitor the success of these new crowns, but we are unwilling to treat our patients as guinea pigs. The last thing we want is putting children through additional treatment because the latest and greatest technology turned out to completely fail.
You may have heard about the concern of mercury in silver fillings and you do not want that in your child's mouth! Fortunately, silver crowns (stainless steel crowns) are not made of the same thing as silver fillings, and do not contain mercury. Silver crowns are actually composed of a combination of iron, nickel, chromium and other minor elements. Not mercury.
Pediatric crowns are an important part of treating dental problems in children. By understanding the different types of pediatric crowns available, parents and caregivers can make informed decisions about their child's dental care. If you have any questions about pediatric crowns or other dental treatments for children, please don't hesitate to ask. We are committed to providing the highest quality care for our patients and their families.
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday: 8:00am to 5:00pm
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