Tooth Restorations
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Fillings
Traditional dental restoratives, or fillings, are made from composites. The strength and durability of traditional dental materials continue to make them useful for situations where restored teeth must withstand extreme forces that result from chewing, such as in the back of the mouth.
TWINKY STAR
Colored fillings help to add a unique, personal touch to a child's smile. A colored filling in a primary tooth sparks the interest of children and increases their willingness to cooperate by allowing them to choose what color the filling should be, thus including them in the treatment planning process. The use of colored fillings for children can be a valuable motivational tool as well. The dentist’s explanation to the child that the fillings will continue to look good as long as the patient properly maintains them results in an overall improvement in oral hygiene.
TWINKY STAR is a safe, mercury free, state of the art filling material that releases fluoride to help in the fight against cavities. Twinky star fillings are designed specifically for primary teeth and make having fillings done fun! Twinky Star is available in seven colors for your child to choose from: PINK, BLUE, GOLD, SILVER GREEN, ORANGE, LEMON, and BERRY.
TWINKY STAR Colors:
Stainless Steel Crowns
When a child has a large cavity in a primary “baby tooth”, there is often not enough tooth structure left to hold a filling in it. In those cases, a stainless steel crown is used. Stainless steel crowns also are used to repair broken or cracked teeth and teeth weakened by defects. These crowns cover the damaged tooth and provide protection and strength. Because they are pre-made, stainless steel crowns are placed in one appointment and can be easily adapted to the child’s tooth. When the child loses the baby tooth, the crown falls out with it. Baby teeth that have received nerve treatments (pulpotomies or pulpectomies) also need to be restored with stainless crowns.
Esthetic Crowns
Esthetic crowns provide an esthetic restoration for front baby teeth. We use these natural looking crowns to restore children teeth to provide them with a beautiful new smile that will provide self confidence in their smile. These crowns are also pre-fabricated so they are placed in one appointment. The main disadvantage is the facing can fracture off of the crown.
Pulpotomy
A pulpotomy is a procedure that is performed when the decay reaches the pulp (nerve). When the nerve of a tooth becomes infected a pulpotomy is necessary to save the tooth. During a pulpotomy the infected part of the nerve is removed and a sedative medication is placed inside the tooth to prevent sensitivity and to promote healing. After the pulpotomy is finished, the tooth is restored with a stainless steel crown to re-establish normal chewing function and to continue to hold the space until the permanent tooth can take its place. On the front teeth, stainless steel crowns with tooth-colored facings are available.
Anesthesia Reversal
Your child’s comfort is an important priority in our practice. Children often dislike the lingering sensation of being numb after a dental procedure or may try to chew their lip or cheek causing trauma. To prevent any discomfort associated with the after-effects of anesthesia, Dr. Clark and Dr. Reddy are now offering OraVerse to their patients.
OraVerse is the only product of its kind to rapidly reverse the numbing effect associated with the use of local anesthesia. This gives your child the ability to speak, smile, and drink normally in a very short time following a procedure.
OraVerse is administered by injection but is not felt by the patient since they are already numb. Dr. Clark and Dr. Reddy recommend OraVerse for patients who have had simple procedures done such as restorative fillings, but not for procedures such as extractions.