My nine-year-old daughter fell and chipped her front tooth. I went to our pediatric dentist and he wants to put a stainless steel crown on it. It’s her front tooth! Is there any other possible solution for this?
Karen
Dear Karen,
Many general dentists will see entire families
I haven’t examined your daughter, but if the pulp is healthy a chipped tooth can be solved by dental bonding. You’ll want a cosmetic dentist to do this, however. Your pediatric dentist may not be qualified. That may be why he or she suggested a dental crown to begin with.
However, if the pulp is damaged, then a dental crown may be necessary. That doesn’t mean it has to be a stainless steel crown. There are other options. On a front tooth, I would recommend a porcelain crown. This will look the most natural. You’ll need to be aware that your dental insurance, will usually only cover the cheapest solution. You can ask your dentist to bill the insurance for the one they’ll cover. Then, you pay the difference for the better treatment option.
My concern is that your daughter’s dentist doesn’t seem to be giving you all your options. This is important for you to make the right decision.
Another thing to consider is to see a general dentist who treats children. My experience has been they have a broader view of treatment. They’re still qualified to treat children and all did a pediatric rotation, but they deal more with other issues, than most pediatric dentists do. An additional benefit is your entire family can be seen by the same dentist. This will also enable him or her to see patterns in your family’s genetic make-up that will allow your dentist to be more proactive in your child’s care.
Go ahead and get a second opinion to see if the pulp is in good shape or if a dental crown is truly necessary.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.