42% of kids between the ages of 2-11 have a cavity in a baby tooth, and 21% of kids between the ages of 6-11 have a cavity in an adult tooth.
Your child’s pediatric dentist may notice their cavity during a typical six-month exam. Dr. Kearns or Dr. Jocelyn will examine their mouth and will sometimes take x-rays to confirm the presence of tooth decay before continuing with the filling process.
Once your child has been diagnosed, it’s time to begin the filling process. Your child’s pediatric dentist will begin by cleaning and numbing their mouth. We also offer dental sedation in Tinton Falls to keep your child feeling safe and comfortable during their treatment.
When the treatment area is fully numb, your child’s pediatric dentist will use a dental drill, often described to your child as a “watery toothbrush,” to gently remove all of the decayed enamel and material from their tooth. This eliminates the cavity and exposes fresh, healthy tooth material.
Finally, your child’s dentist will select a tooth-colored resin that matches the color of their teeth perfectly. Then, they will apply it to the cavity, rebuilding it layer by layer. Once your child’s cavity has been filled, their dentist will check the fit, make any necessary adjustments, then buff and polish the tooth one final time. Your child will be sent home with a brand-new, healthy tooth!
Tooth decay doesn’t get better on its own. Once your child has a cavity, it will only get worse. Eventually, the cavity could progress into the nerve of the tooth, which may require treatment with a root canal and a dental crown. If this fails, a tooth extraction may be the only option for treating the tooth. By getting treatment early, you can prevent these complications, and your child can get back to their normal routine right away.
By avoiding complications like tooth infections, you can also save a lot of time, money, and stress! Fillings are really simple. They're affordable, covered by most dental insurance policies, and usually take only 30-60 minutes. By getting fillings for your child ASAP, you can simplify things, save money, and avoid repeated trips to the dentist’s office!
Lastly and most importantly, dental fillings remove decay and keep your child’s teeth healthy. For obvious reasons, this is a good thing! Baby teeth are meant to fall out eventually, but must stay healthy until they're replaced naturally by adult teeth.
And your child only gets one set of adult teeth. So if they have a cavity in an adult tooth, it’s important to get treatment right away to keep their tooth in great shape. With fillings, your child will enjoy a lifetime of healthy, happy smiles!
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