Restorative Care

Restorative care is just as important in maintaining your child's healthy smile and preventing future dental problems. Our dedicated team offers a range of restorative treatments to promote long-term oral health. 

Dental Fillings:

Resin composite restorations are tooth-colored “fillings” that restore the aesthetics and function of the teeth and blend naturally with your child’s smile. If this type of treatment is recommended, the dentist will start with the removal of decayed portion of the tooth. After the cavity is removed, the area will be filled with strong, durable composite resin. This resin will match the surrounding teeth and help maintain healthy tooth structure as well as prevent further decay along with a consistent oral hygiene home care routine.

Dental Crowns:

When teeth have large cavities that cannot be best fixed with a filling, a crown is often recommended. Crowns restore extensively damaged teeth or teeth with weakened structures. They help give the tooth strength and protection and are tough enough to withstand chewing and grinding forces. Dental crowns for back teeth (molars) are stainless steel and preformed to fit tightly to the tooth once the decay is removed. Dental crowns for front teeth (incisors and canines) are tooth colored and are also formed to fit the shape of the tooth once the decay is removed. Dental crowns provide protection to all surfaces of a tooth, which is critical to maintaining the primary tooth prior to the eruption of its permanent replacement.

Indirect Pulp Therapy:

The nerve of a tooth is called the pulp and contains connective tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. The pulp is located in the center of the tooth and extends down into the roots. Indirect pulp therapy is a procedure performed in a tooth with a large cavity that has extended near the pulp, but there is no sign of infection either in the mouth or on an x-ray. This procedure helps avoid pulp exposure by leaving the deepest part of the cavity close to the pulp undisturbed while the more superficial layers are removed. The surface that is affected by decay is covered with a liner or material that causes the pulp to heal internally by building up extra layers of protective tooth structure. The tooth is then fixed with either a filling or crown to seal the liner from any bacteria in the mouth. Indirect pulp therapy may be completed on primary or permanent teeth.

Pulpotomy:

A pulpotomy is like a root canal for baby teeth and is recommended when the nerve or pulp of the tooth is either significantly decayed or infected. Pulpotomies ultimately help retain the natural tooth structure and avoid premature tooth loss. In this procedure, the dentist will remove the infected or inflamed nerve tissue from the crown or top part of the tooth, leaving the healthy structure and nerve tissue in the roots of the teeth intact. After removing the affected nerve tissue, the dentist will apply a specific medication where the nerve tissue used to be which helps the tooth heal and prevents further infection. Once the pulpotomy procedure is completed, the tooth will be stored with either a filling or crown, depending on the size of the cavity and amount of tooth structure remaining.

Extractions:

Extractions are generally recommended or necessary when a tooth is not able to be fixed with a filling or crown, is infected, or has a history of trauma. If an infected tooth is left untreated, it can lead to pain that may affect eating, drinking, or sleeping, or result in the development of abscess and infection that can spread to other parts of the body. If extraction is recommended by the dentist, our team ensures a stress-free and comfortable experience for your child by using gentle techniques for minimal discomfort. We provide thorough aftercare instructions to support proper healing and prevent complications, as well as options for tooth replacement like space maintainers to protect tooth alignment.

Space Maintenance:

A space maintainer is an orthodontic device used to preserve space in the mouth after a baby tooth has been lost before it would normally fall out. This helps make sure that the permanent teeth come in in the right position and prevents crowding, shifting, or other alignment problems. Baby teeth play a critical role in guiding the eruption of permanent teeth. If a baby tooth is lost early, the permanent tooth may not have enough space to grow in properly. Depending on the needs of the patient and area of the mouth, these devices may be cemented in the mouth or be removable. Sometimes, they are placed only in one part of the mouth and other times they are placed to help the entire upper or lower arch of teeth. If an appliance is made and cemented in the mouth, it is often removed once the permanent tooth in the space starts to erupt.

Sedation:

Often called “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide is used in the office for treatment procedures to help provide a relaxing effect and reduce anxiety if a child is nervous or requires extensive dental procedures. This helps improve comfort in the office. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, inhalation of nitrous oxide with oxygen (N2O/O2) is safe and effective in reducing and managing patient anxiety, dental pain, movement, and hyperactive gag reflex. This allows treatment to be carried out safely and effectively while the patient is awake and interactive. The patient is continuously monitored while laughing gas is being used. Once treatment is completed, the flow of N2O will be cut off and the patient will breathe 100% oxygen (O2) through the nasal mask to quickly flush the N2O out of their system.

For patients with extensive dental needs, significant anxiety, or other medical complexities that prohibit completion of treatment in the office setting, treatment under general anesthesia in the operating room may be recommended. In this setting, the patient is put to sleep by a trained anesthesia team and all dental treatment is completed during the procedure. The child does not feel any pain during the procedure and has limited recall afterwards. General anesthesia is often used for complex or lengthy dental procedures in children who are unable to cooperate, are extremely fearful, or have special healthcare needs. It can also be used to improve the quality of life for children with significant oral health problems and reduce the need for multiple dental visits.