Restorative Dentistry in Gallatin
Restorative Dental Care
Tooth-Colored Metal-Free Fillings
Children aren’t always the best at caring for their teeth. When food particles and plaque sit on a tooth for too long, acids form and wear away at the enamel. Eventually, these bacteria will create a small hole (cavity) in the tooth. Without treatment, a cavity can spread deeper into the tooth or adjacent teeth.
Fillings are crucial for protecting teeth after a cavity. Before installing the filling, Dr. Shadburne will remove the decayed area and place a tooth-colored metal-free filling material to rebuild the structure tooth and prevent any bacteria from getting inside of it.
Our composite fillings match your child’s enamel, creating a more natural-looking smile. Instead of being made of metal, these fillings are comprised of a mixture of plastic and glass that makes them hypoallergenic and less noticeable. They’re also less-invasive to teeth than traditional silver fillings.
White and Silver Crowns
A crown protects teeth that are badly damaged or decayed. Instead of removing vulnerable baby teeth, crowns preserve them until they fall out naturally. This step helps your child’s adult teeth erupt correctly, reducing the chances of orthodontic concerns or speech issues as the permanent teeth grow into place.
At TPD we offer both white and silver crowns. Depending on the situation one may be recommended over the other. Dr. J.D. is always happy to discuss the pros and cons of each to allow you to make a confident decision for your child. Our goal is to preserve teeth and allow your child to smile confidently!
Extractions
We do everything we can to avoid removing a tooth, but sometimes, it’s the best option. We often perform extractions in cases of extreme tooth decay, fractured teeth, emergency scenarios, and severe infections.
Before we extract a tooth, we take a dental x-ray to examine the root and surrounding bone structure. This helps us prevent any possible complications and ensure that the tooth needs to be removed.
Next, we will use local anesthesia to numb the tooth and the area around the tooth. Once your child’s mouth is comfortable, Dr. J.D. will carefully remove the tooth. Depending on the situation, it usually only takes a one or two days to recover from an extraction. During this time, Dr. J.D. recommends keeping your child on a diet of soft foods.
Space Maintainers
If your child loses a tooth prematurely because of an injury or extraction, Dr. Shadburne will likely recommend installing a space maintainer.
After a baby tooth is lost prematurely, the teeth around it will try to shift into the gap that was created. Once this happens, the adult tooth will not have enough room to grow into place properly. This will cause the teeth to shift and grow at an angle, likely requiring your child to get braces in the future.
Luckily, we can avoid these issues with space maintainers. These small appliances fill the gap left by a lost tooth and prevent the surrounding tooth from shifting. Once your child’s adult tooth is ready to emerge, we will remove the appliance.
Habit Appliances
Children sometimes form habits that can negatively affect their oral development, speech, and jaw growth. In these cases, we sometimes recommend the use of appliances to discourage the habit and encourage healthy growth patterns.
For example, prolonged thumb sucking places pressure on both jaws that can result in asymmetrical bone growth, breathing concerns, crooked teeth, and openbites. Addressing these issues early can save time, money and additional treatment down the road.
We’ll remove the appliance once your child has stopped their thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, or other oral habit. In some cases, this can be as little as a few months. In others, your child may need up to a year.
Early Treatment is Essential
Issues in your child’s oral health can quickly spread and become more complex to manage. The best solution is to treat issues earlier, while they’re small and easier to manage. Not only is this simpler for your child, it also prevents additional treatment in the future.
If your child has a toothache, missing tooth, or needs to see a dentist, contact Trailhead Pediatric Dentistry today.
Restorative Dental Care
Tooth-Colored Metal-Free Fillings
Children aren’t always the best at caring for their teeth. When food particles and plaque sit on a tooth for too long, acids form and wear away at the enamel. Eventually, these bacteria will create a small hole (cavity) in the tooth. Without treatment, a cavity can spread deeper into the tooth or adjacent teeth.
Fillings are crucial for protecting teeth after a cavity. Before installing the filling, Dr. Shadburne will remove the decayed area and place a tooth-colored metal-free filling material to rebuild the structure tooth and prevent any bacteria from getting inside of it.
Our composite fillings match your child’s enamel, creating a more natural-looking smile. Instead of being made of metal, these fillings are comprised of a mixture of plastic and glass that makes them hypoallergenic and less noticeable. They’re also less-invasive to teeth than traditional silver fillings.
White and Silver Crowns
A crown protects teeth that are badly damaged or decayed. Instead of removing vulnerable baby teeth, crowns preserve them until they fall out naturally. This step helps your child’s adult teeth erupt correctly, reducing the chances of orthodontic concerns or speech issues as the permanent teeth grow into place.
At TPD we offer both white and silver crowns. Depending on the situation one may be recommended over the other. Dr. J.D. is always happy to discuss the pros and cons of each to allow you to make a confident decision for your child. Our goal is to preserve teeth and allow your child to smile confidently!
Extractions
We do everything we can to avoid removing a tooth, but sometimes, it’s the best option. We often perform extractions in cases of extreme tooth decay, fractured teeth, emergency scenarios, and severe infections.
Before we extract a tooth, we take a dental x-ray to examine the root and surrounding bone structure. This helps us prevent any possible complications and ensure that the tooth needs to be removed.
Next, we will use local anesthesia to numb the tooth and the area around the tooth. Once your child’s mouth is comfortable, Dr. J.D. will carefully remove the tooth. Depending on the situation, it usually only takes a one or two days to recover from an extraction. During this time, Dr. J.D. recommends keeping your child on a diet of soft foods.
Space Maintainers
If your child loses a tooth prematurely because of an injury or extraction, Dr. Shadburne will likely recommend installing a space maintainer.
After a baby tooth is lost prematurely, the teeth around it will try to shift into the gap that was created. Once this happens, the adult tooth will not have enough room to grow into place properly. This will cause the teeth to shift and grow at an angle, likely requiring your child to get braces in the future.
Luckily, we can avoid these issues with space maintainers. These small appliances fill the gap left by a lost tooth and prevent the surrounding tooth from shifting. Once your child’s adult tooth is ready to emerge, we will remove the appliance.
Habit Appliances
Children sometimes form habits that can negatively affect their oral development, speech, and jaw growth. In these cases, we sometimes recommend the use of appliances to discourage the habit and encourage healthy growth patterns.
For example, prolonged thumb sucking places pressure on both jaws that can result in asymmetrical bone growth, breathing concerns, crooked teeth, and openbites. Addressing these issues early can save time, money and additional treatment down the road.
We’ll remove the appliance once your child has stopped their thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, or other oral habit. In some cases, this can be as little as a few months. In others, your child may need up to a year.
Early Treatment is Essential
Issues in your child’s oral health can quickly spread and become more complex to manage. The best solution is to treat issues earlier, while they’re small and easier to manage. Not only is this simpler for your child, it also prevents additional treatment in the future.
If your child has a toothache, missing tooth, or needs to see a dentist, contact Trailhead Pediatric Dentistry today.
We are proud to call Gallatin home, and happily provide the best quality dental work that Gallatin has to offer. At Trailhead Pediatric Dentistry, we are happy to help with any dental questions you might have.
Quick Links
All Rights Reserved | Dentist Websites by Energize Group