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A dental crown for children functions similarly to an adult crown but at a smaller scale. Also called caps, crowns are a way for dentists to reinforce a child’s damaged tooth. Although dental injuries are distressing, they’re quite common; about a third of children undergo dental trauma, including emergencies. For children with cavities or cracked teeth, crowns restore both appearance and comfort until the tooth naturally falls out later.
While it’s not uncommon for a crown to fall out, it’s by no means unavoidable. If your child’s dental crown fell off, don’t panic and do schedule an appointment with your dentist. In the meantime, you can take measures to prevent your child from further damaging their teeth.
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Understanding Pediatric Dental Crowns
A temporary crown for kids covers and protects the visible part of their teeth, restoring their function, shape and size in a way that allows it to blend in with the other teeth. At Luna Pediatric Dentistry in Richmond Texas, Dr. Thapar and Dr. Moreno offer high-quality restorations for a dental crown for baby teeth, relying on state-of-the-art techniques to help your child enjoy a healthy smile.
Dental Cap Replacement: Different Options
Dentists primarily use five kinds of pediatric crowns, and each has their own respective pros and cons to consider. In particular, a dentist will consider you and your child’s needs for durability, adaptability, placement time, and cost:
- Stainless steel crowns: Dentists have used these crowns since the 1940s, installing a blend of metals designed to prevent corrosion from saliva. They’re unyielding, but they don’t feature a natural tooth color.
- Resin veneer crowns: These crowns are made of stainless steel but also feature white facings to give the illusion of a natural-looking tooth. They’re less sensitive to moisture during placement, but they also require greater tooth loss to install.
- Zirconia ceramic crowns: Sometimes kids tooth crown repair involves the use of zirconium oxide. They’re incredibly resilient and seem natural, but they’re often much more expensive than other types of crowns.
- Composite crowns: Composite strip crowns depend on a plastic form and a hardening composite. While these materials look good, they’re more likely to fracture and fall out. Likewise, their placement is more sensitive to moisture.
- Polycarbonate crowns: The durability of polycarbonate crowns varies depending on the exact composite your dentist uses, but they’re relatively inexpensive for an aesthetic restoration. That said, they’re best used for temporary restorations as they’re not quite as durable as other materials.
Generally, you’ll know when to see a pediatric dentist because your child has just chipped or cracked a tooth. Alternatively, they might have been diagnosed with sensitive teeth or massive tooth decay, both of which require dental restoration. Remember, even though the baby teeth will fall out later, it’s important to properly care for them so that the adult teeth stand a better chance of growing in straight and healthily.
Why Dental Crowns Fall Off
Stainless steel crowns are the most durable and stable restoration that your children can get, but even they’re vulnerable to dislodging. It’s a common enough event that it’s wise to anticipate the event, even if you take all the preventative measures you can.
If a pediatric dental crown fell out, the number one likely cause is sticky candy; even the strongest cement can’t hold its own against its power! Ideally, limiting the amount of sticky foods that your child eats if he or she has a dental crown will prevent you from having to make too many trips back to the dentist. In fact, it’s a good idea to avoid anything that could exert too much pulling force; the cement used on baby teeth is different than what the dentist uses on adult teeth, making it a little easier to dislodge.
Problems with the surrounding gums or the rest of the tooth structure can also reveal your kids dental crown loose even before it falls out. When baby teeth are ready to fall out, they’ll come out crown or not. Rest assured that this is a scenario in which a loose crown is normal. However, if your child is experiencing discomfort, it’s a good idea to set an appointment right away.
What To Do if Dental Crown Falls Out
The simplest and best course of action in the event of a lost dental crown for child is to make an appointment for a pediatric dentist crown replacement right away. If your child’s crown falls out while the office is closed and doesn’t seem to be in any pain, don’t worry. That means it’s not a pediatric dental emergency crown fell off scenario; your child can make it to the next available appointment with your regular dentist.
If you know what caused the crown to fall off, try to prevent it from happening again. Try to find and save the crown as well; bringing in your child’s custom-fitted restorative cap will save a lot of effort replacing it. It’s okay if you can’t find it, though. Your dentist can always make a new one.
Regardless, the best way for protecting kids teeth after crown falls off is to make an appointment with your dentist. If your child’s teeth shifts too much before the next appointment, it means having to start over again. At the very least, this means having to undergo more drilling as well as potential sedation. Their teeth won’t change overnight, but it’s better to be prompt.
If your child becomes further injured or otherwise starts to experience pain, this is an emergency. Dental emergencies in children require immediate medical attention from any available dentist.
Can You Fix a Dental Crown at Home for Kids?
If your child’s baby tooth crown fell out, you can temporarily fix it after making an appointment with Luna Pediatric Dentistry in Richmond Texas.
So how to handle a childs dental crown falling off? Regardless of whether it’s broken or completely lost, your child could experience some unusual symptoms; check in on them to see how they’re doing first. They might be feeling:
- Increased dental sensitivity
- Toothache or pain in the area
- Tooth misalignment or an unusual feeling bite
- Visible cracks in the crown
- Newly rough or uneven textures
If you saved the crown, rinse it under lukewarm water to remove any debris it may have picked up. You can also try to temporarily re-attach the cap with denture adhesive; otherwise, you can use a small dollop of toothpaste. Either way, find the best way to store a dental crown that fell off so you can bring it to the appointment. However, if the crown is broken, your dentist will need to replace it. A temporary crown will be used while the new one is made.
Steps to take if your child’s crown is loose or missing also include prevention. Specifically, be sure to avoid certain foods and activities until the appointment. Aside from sticky candy, hard foods can also crack or dislodge a dental crown, requiring additional dental cap replacement. Finally, you may also wish to avoid very hot or very cold foods as well as dense foods like steak.
Crown Repair for Kids: What To Expect at the Dentist
Whenever a tooth cap fell off child, the replacement process has quite a bit of overlap with the original procedure. The dentist numbs the area with a gel, and then your child receives a local anesthetic. If your child is particularly anxious, the dentist may recommend mild sedation.
From there, the dentist places a small piece of latex to isolate the tooth. Then, they remove the decay with a special drill that ensures the crown will fit snugly on the tooth. Finally, the dentist places the crown.
Pediatric Dental Care Tips and Aftercare
Following your child’s dental crown procedure, it’s normal to expect some discomfort from the irritation the soft tissue experienced during the placement. You can give your child over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help alleviate the ache, but contact your dentist if it lasts more than 24 hours.
Additionally, don’t allow your child to eat until the numbness has worn off; otherwise, they run the risk of accidentally biting their cheek or lips, causing new injury. Likewise, if your child has a tendency to chew on their cheeks, discourage them from doing so; gently explain the problem and ask them to wait until they’re no longer numb.
If your child cannot chew or complains that their tooth feels “funny,” contact the dentist immediately.
Finally, prevention is always the strongest medicine! Brushing and flossing twice a day keeps potential decay at bay and keeps your child in optimal oral health. Furthermore, discouraging sugary drinks will do wonders for preventing enamel erosion.
Contact Luna Pediatric Dentistry in Richmond Texas Today
At Luna Pediatric Dentistry, we understand how important it is for your child to feel safe. We also strongly emphasize the importance of educating the whole family about good oral care techniques, teaching kids how to brush and floss well. By choosing our team, you’re entrusting your child’s care to dedicated professionals with years of specialized experience in placing and treating pediatric crowns.