Stainless Steel Crowns
What are stainless-steel crowns?
Stainless steel crowns are tooth-shaped caps that fit over an entire tooth. They are most commonly used in pediatric dentistry as a way to help preserve baby teeth that have become significantly decayed or damaged. Although the primary teeth will eventually be lost to make room for permanent teeth, it is important that they are not lost prematurely. The premature loss of baby teeth can cause a variety of complications that can ultimately affect the permanent teeth. Therefore, stainless steel crowns provide protection for primary teeth until they are lost naturally.
How are stainless steel crowns applied?
To apply a crown, the first step is to usually numb the tooth – we put the tooth to sleep using our "sleepy juice." This will help your child be pain-free while their crown is being placed. Once your child is relaxed and comfortable, our Pediatric Dentist will begin by removing any decayed or damaged tissue from the tooth. If a pulp treatment or "baby root canal" is needed, this will also be performed to remove decay from inside of the pulp chamber. After all the decayed tissue is removed, your child will be fit for a crown. Our stainless steel crowns that we have in the office are all prefabricated, meaning they come in a range of sizes that can be customized for the perfect fit – think of it like trying on shoes, you need to try a few on to get the perfect fit. The crown will then be cemented in place over the tooth. Once the crown is placed, they usually last until the baby tooth naturally falls out. In some cases, the stainless steel crown does come off if your child plays with it a bit too much or they are eating something super sticky, if this happens call our office right away and we will have it recemented.