Pediatric Restorative Dentist in Quincy, MA

Composite (“white”) fillings use a tooth colored, resin-based material to fill cavities and restore teeth to their original shape and size. Once the decay is removed, the tooth is filled with a composite material that hardens when light-cured immediately after placement. Afterwards, the tooth is smoothed, shaped, and polished.

If the dental pulp (inner chamber of the tooth) is invaded by bacteria that has caused a cavity, it will gradually deteriorate and become infected. The baby root canal process involves removing the infected pulp (pulpotomy), cleaning out the chamber and roots (pulpectomy), and filling the chamber and/or canals with a material that will help preserve the tooth until it is time for the tooth to naturally fall out on its own. Since this procedure involves removing a large amount of infected tooth structure, the tooth becomes considerably weaker and more prone to fracture. To accommodate for the weakened tooth, a stainless steel crown is typically required.

Full coverage dental crowns are used to restore damaged or decayed teeth in children and young adults. Crowns provide full coverage and restoration of the remaining tooth structure after it has been treated. The crowns are custom fit and secured to the tooth with a fluoride releasing cement. We typically use stainless steel crowns for children as this allows us to preserve as much tooth structure as possible.

A tooth that is over retained or cannot be saved with restorative materials may need to be removed. Before removing the tooth, the area is numbed with a local anesthesic.