Restorative dentistry

Sometimes minor injuries occur or cavities develop in front teeth, the most noticeable part of your child’s smile. We can improve damage to this area with cosmetic bonding, which involves filling or fixing teeth with material that’s the same color as the rest of the teeth.

These fillings are made from durable plastics called composite resins. Similar in color and texture to natural teeth, they are much less noticeable and much more attractive than other types of fillings. Tooth-colored fillings are compatible with dental sealants, and a tooth can be filled and sealed at the same time to prevent further decay. With cosmetic bonding, your child can smile, talk, and eat with confidence.

Call us today at 480-830-5466 to make an appointment to discuss cosmetic bonding.

A crown (often called a cap) fits over and replaces the entire part of a decayed or broken tooth above the gum line. It becomes the tooth’s new outer surface. Crowns are used when fillings will not work or after root canal treatment to seal a tooth. We will remove all decay of the tooth before placing the crown.

When used on baby teeth, crowns will fall out when adult teeth grow in. While it is a common misconception that children do not need extensive work on baby teeth, keep in mind they keep many of their baby teeth until the age of 10-12. Failure to correct these teeth can cause painful infections. Crowns for the front teeth have a white facing that will look natural.

Crowns sometimes come loose over time, and your child may need to have the crown cemented again or replaced. Please contact our office at 480-830-5466 if this happens.

Over time, plaque may cause tooth decay that results in small holes or cavities. If untreated, tooth decay may cause infection and loss of teeth. Such problems can be avoided with fillings. The dentist will remove the decayed parts of the tooth and “fill” it back in so that it will seem like a whole tooth again.

While fillings are used to treat mild tooth decay, more extensive damage may require a crown or root canal treatment. If the tooth is beyond repair, it may need to be extracted.

If your child has signs of tooth decay, call us today at 480-830-5466 to make an appointment.

Baby teeth usually stay in place until permanent teeth push them out and take their place. But a tooth may be knocked out too early because of an accident or because it needs to be removed due to severe dental disease. When this happens, the remaining baby teeth may tilt, drift, and move up or down to fill the gap left by the lost tooth. And the nearby permanent teeth will come in crowded or crooked. Space maintainers prevent that problem.

Space maintainers are made of plastic or metal and are custom fit to your child’s mouth to hold open the empty space left by the lost tooth. This prevents movement of the remaining teeth until the permanent tooth takes its natural position. Without the use of space maintainers, more extensive (and expensive) orthodontic treatment (braces) or even surgery may be necessary.

Call us today at 480-830-5466 to make an appointment to discuss space maintainers.