Composite Fillings for Kids

What Parents Should Know About Composite Fillings for Kids

Children are often drawn to indulging in candies, chocolates, and other types of sweets. As a result, they can become more prone to cavities, teeth sensitivity, and other dental problems. One of the most problematic dental flaws, however, is tooth decay. Not only does it damage one tooth, but it spreads and infects neighboring teeth, potentially causing a child to suffer extractions or surgeries.

There is a less painful way of treating teeth that have been damaged. Regardless of whether the culprit is extreme physical trauma or eating too much food that is harmful to one’s dental health, composite fillings for kids can often be a solution.

Using a dental filling is an important part of the process of repairing teeth. The same composite filling material is also used as a dental adhesive. It is used to join two teeth together. It can also be used to fill in gaps or to make your child’s teeth look just as they did before the decay occurred. The process is not usually painful and only requires the child to keep still as the filling dry’s.

When getting a dental filling, your Pediatric Dentist will identify all of the areas of the teeth that have become damaged. The child’s teeth will be checked to see if there are still cavities remaining in the tooth or teeth that are about to filled. Once tartar is detected, the dentist removes it and cleans the area to prepare for the filling procedure. After washing out the residues, he will remove the infected part of the tooth, cleaning out any remaining decay. He will then, prepare the composite filling made up of a special kind of synthetic substance that will be used to fill in portions of the teeth that have been removed.

The composite filling is then placed inside the teeth while being cured by a concentrated blue light to help the bonding agent dry faster. Afterwards, the teeth are once again cleaned and polished through rinsing, helping to make the child’s teeth look as good as new.

Although composite resin is the most commonly used repair material, it is not the only option for dental fillings. There are other choices, each possessing a separate set of pros and cons. Some of the most used agents include: amalgam or silver filling (this makes a stronger dental filling with less maintenance needed; the downside of this material, however, is its appearance — it is less aesthetically pleasing compared to composite resin which imitates the look of a real and natural tooth), cast gold (this gives off a more luxurious feeling, but is mostly used by adults for fashion purposes), and ceramics (these are made of porcelain and are also a common choice among children).

As always, at Surfside Kids Dental, your child’s well being comes first. We will take comfort and budget into consideration when treating cavities in your child’s teeth. We have offices in East Sacramento, Elk Grove, Pleasant Hill and Almaden Valley. Contact us to schedule your child’s dental appointment.