Zirconia is built to last for 10 to 15 years.
Dr. Lee will examine and take x-rays of your child’s tooth to look for signs of decay that needs to be removed. He will need to check if an infection is present to determine if a root canal is necessary.
By administering a local anesthetic, your child’s mouth is fully numbed so they can’t feel any pain from drilling.
Using a handheld dental drill, any present decay in the tooth is removed and the tooth is filed and shaped in preparation for the crown.
Dr. Lee will select a premade zirconia crown that fits the size of your child’s tooth. Using a shade guide, he will match the shade of the crown to your child’s natural teeth.
After ensuring the proper fit of the crown, it will be bonded in place with dental cement.
Zirconia crowns are strong and aesthetic white crowns that are metal-free and made from biocompatible zirconium dioxide. Zirconia is the strongest and most durable metal-free material that we can use in dentistry, which is why it lasts just as long as metal crowns without the silver appearance or presence of metal which some patients are allergic to.
This makes zirconia crowns versatile because they’re well suited to covering teeth in the front or back of the mouth. Best of all, they won’t disrupt the aesthetics of your child’s smile and these crowns are biocompatible and non-corrosive.
A pediatric crown placed over a baby tooth will last for the duration of the lifespan of the tooth and will fall out along with the tooth to encourage proper eruption of the permanent tooth.
Preserving the health of baby teeth is very important even though they will naturally fall out. For one, oral health problems can cause significant pain and your child needs their teeth to help them chew, speak, and maintain the aesthetics of their smile.
More importantly, however, the baby teeth help maintain proper alignment and eruption of the permanent teeth. If your child loses a baby tooth too soon, this can lead to shifting teeth and an impacted permanent tooth.
Pediatric crowns prevent serious oral health problems and tooth loss.