Happy boy on turquoise background

If your child reports pain in one of their teeth, it could mean that they have a cavity. By bringing them to our office, we can examine their smile to determine if decay is present. Promptly removing their cavity can help prevent the loss of more healthy material or the possibility of dental infection. When this happens, a dental filling can restore the tooth’s outer layer after removing decaying material from the tooth.

At your Shirley, NY, pediatric dentist and orthodontist, we help kids maintain bright smiles as they grow into adolescence! By removing decay and restoring their little grins, we can help them feel proud of their teeth. While decay can cause pain, addressing it right away can provide valuable relief.

How Children Develop Cavities

By visiting the dentist semiannually, your child can both prevent decay and treat it early when it occurs. This means providing dental fillings to restore their teeth instead of needing a more comprehensive crown after losing a significant amount of their tooth. Otherwise, you may not learn about their decay until your child receives a toothache or a hole in their tooth leads to a painful dental infection. Even for baby teeth, restoring their health is vital to developing smiles. Decay could travel between teeth and cause their bites to misalign.

Placing A Dental Filling

When we suspect a cavity, we will take digital images of your child’s mouth using X-rays that show us the location and size of their carry. When a dental filling is appropriate to repair its damage,  we begin treatment by applying a local anesthetic. This will comfort your child as they undergo their procedure, and we could provide dental sedation if your child feels anxious. We then remove decaying materials and clean the tooth to receive its filling. Using biocompatible, composite resin, we can shade their restoration to match the color of their surrounding teeth. We end the treatment by polishing the entire tooth for a bright appearance.

Additional Cavity Protection For Kids

Because children are still learning to fully clean their mouths daily, we offer additional services to help them fight tooth decay. By providing a fluoride treatment at each checkup, we help remineralize their enamel to repair and fight damage from plaque. For hard-to-reach molars, we can place dental sealants that provide a physical barrier against corrosive oral bacteria waste products. Your child will continue to brush their teeth as normal with the added protection on their back teeth that will dissolve with time.

Speak With Your Shirley, NY, Orthodontist, and Pediatric Dentist About Treating Your Child’s Tooth Decay

By bringing your kids for regular checkups, we can catch decay in its early stages. For more information about treating a tooth with a dental cavity, then contact Shirley Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Shirley, NY, by calling (631) 399-1600.