If the tooth decay is seen in the enamel or dentine layer only (without attacking the nerve of the tooth), the cavity is restored with a filling soon after the decay removal. We make use of the glass ionomer fillings and composite fillings, the two commonly used filling materials for children’s teeth. These fillings generally match the colour of the tooth structure. They need the most minimal tooth preparation so that only less tooth structure is removed while maintaining the health of the tooth.

 If the tooth decay has begun to affect the area of the pulp (the nerve of the tooth), pulp therapy becomes unavoidable. While pulp serves the function of delivering blood and oxygen to the tooth, damage to the pulp can compromise its sole purpose. For young teeth with immature roots, the pulp is crucial for the development of the root of the tooth. We implement pulp therapy with the primary objective of maintaining the health of teeth and tissues as well as eliminating the constant pain from the injured pulp.

When the decay reaches the nerve of a baby tooth, the infected area of the nerve should be removed instantly to save the decayed tooth. This procedure is generally referred to as pulpotomy and is usually called a “mini” root canal treatment. When left untreated, the infection may spread and reach the tooth root and thus pulpotomy becomes a necessity. The pulpotomy procedure involves the removal of dental pulp from the tooth crown while preserving the natural pulp to keep the tooth alive and functioning.

Pulpectomy is generally the root canal therapy for baby teeth. This is essential when decay or injury to a tooth has led to the infection of the nerve. The main objective is to keep the tooth until the correct time for it to fall out. When there is an infection within the nerve of the tooth, it needs to be taken care of. If this is not done, it can result in a damaged nerve and abscess formation occurring when the infection spreads outside the tooth. Other than the severe pain, dental abscesses can cause fever and other health issues. As adult teeth develop close to the roots of baby teeth untreated infection can spread to and affect the development of the permanent teeth.

A dental crown is generally a tooth-shaped covering cemented to the tooth that serves the purpose of tooth restoration and function. Mostly, crowns are suggested by pediatric dentists when the repair and restoration of a primary (baby) tooth becomes necessary. This occurs usually when there is an incomplete primary tooth, large cavities or broken tooth. For broken teeth which may not be able to hold a filling properly or which have undergone pulp treatment, a crown is crucial for a strong tooth.

When baby teeth seen in the back of the mouth are lost due to decay or abscess before they should be lost naturally, the adjacent teeth are most likely to occupy the space reserved for the permanent tooth unless an appliance is placed for keeping that space open. This space maintainer containing steel wires and rings would fit in the area of the lost tooth so as to maintain the space that the permanent tooth would need later. This appliance could be cemented into your child’s mouth when required and once the permanent teeth appear or grow into that position, the appliance could be removed easily. For this appliance, it is necessary to avoid sticky foods completely and may require frequent replacements until it’s not needed for your child.

The devices like sports guards or dental mouth guards and mouth protectors, help protect teeth during sports activities. Worn above the upper teeth, sports guards can serve the function of protecting individuals from injuries such as cut lips, broken teeth other mouth wounds. They are customizable according to your child’s need by taking the impression of the oral cavity and thus reducing any risk of injury.

While being similar to trays used for teeth whitening an oral night guard sits above the teeth and helps protect them from clenching or grinding. The device is commonly known by many names including bite splint, occlusal guard or occlusal splint. This appliance puts a stop to the habit of bruxism/teeth clenching.

After properly examining your child, apt appliances can be implemented for avoiding harmful habits such as thumb sucking, mouth breathing and bruxism. These appliances aid in breaking the habit and thus help prevent the detrimental changes produced by those habits.