Pediatric Crowns in Hudson, MA

At Restoration Smiles: Adult & Pediatric Dentistry, our trusted pediatic dentist in Hudson, MA, offer pediatric crowns to restore a tooth’s shape, size, strength, and appearance, when needed.

What is a Stainless Steel Crown (SSC)?

A stainless steel crown (SSC) is recommended when the tooth is extensively decayed or broken down to the point where fillings will no longer hold well. If this type of tooth is patched with fillings will lead to fractures, discomfort and additional treatment down the line. 

The procedure for a SSC starts with removing all the decay/cavity from the tooth. Once only healthy tooth structure remains, a properly-sized stainless steel crown is selected, and then shaped and adapted to the remaining tooth structure. The SSC is then cemented with a permanent cement so that it will not fall off with normal chewing and flossing.

Stainless steel crowns are very safe, biocompatible, long-lasting, relatively inexpensive, easy to keep clean, and technique-wise quick and simple to place. As a result, the appointment for an SSC is typically no longer than a simple filling appointment. Aside from the normal mild post-operative discomfort that comes with dental work, SSCs do not have lingering issues with sensitivity, and because they are biocompatible, the gum tissues heal very well around the metal surface. The SSC should last until the adult tooth underneath it is ready to grow in. SSCs also fall out naturally when the adult tooth is ready to grow in and do not need to be removed at the dental office. There is no mercury in stainless steel crowns.

But I have a “White” Crown? Why can’t my child have one?

Baby teeth are inherently different in many ways compared to adult teeth. They are treated differently by our specialists trained in best dental outcomes and behavior management for children, called pediatric dentists. The options for adults like— inlays, onlays, and porcelain/ceramic crowns— are complex procedures that are not completed on baby teeth. The only way to make a “perfect fit” white ceramic crown is to 1) prepare the tooth using more complicated, time-consuming and technique-sensitive methods, 2) fabricate a temporary crown chairside, 3) take a mold of the tooth and have it custom-milled by a milling machine or dental ceramist. The child would need to wear a temporary crown until the final crown is ready. This type of process requires 2 visits, as many adults who have had porcelain/ceramic crowns are well aware of. The first appointment lasts up to 2 hrs and then the child would need to come back for a second appointment—another technique-sensitive final crown cementation. Additionally, the cost for a custom milled ceramic crown is very expensive! Needless to say, for many reasons this type of appointment and process is not feasible for a young child, and it is simply not done in pediatric dentistry.

Some companies have tried to create a “one-size-fits-most” all-white ceramic crown product for baby teeth. However, ceramic materials (think your household coffee mug) cannot be bent and adapted during the appointment, like thin stainless steel. Thus, they can never be a 100% perfect fit to the tooth.  Because these “one-size-fits-most” ceramic crowns are not a perfect fit, they are prone to fracture, issues, and discomfort. The complications that result with this currently offered “one-size-fits-most” white crown product are not something that our doctors are willing to undertake, as we like to stand by the quality and longevity of our work. We keep hoping that the materials improve and one day there will be a white crown option that is a good one for children. If this becomes the case, we will begin offering them.

If your child has a damaged or broken tooth that needs protecting and strengthening, visit Restoration Smiles: Adult & Pediatric Dentistry at 2 Coolidge St Suite 202, Hudson, MA 01749, or call (508) 658-0661 to schedule a consultation with our pediatric dentist today!