My 10 year old had an ice skating accident 3 weeks ago and chipped her front teeth almost in half. The pediatric dentist put crowns on her teeth but they don’t look good. My daughter is self-conscious about her appearance. There is enough stress for kids in school without her worrying about her teeth. She is hesitant to smile because she thinks people are looking at her teeth. I guess our dentist did the best she could but I am really thinking about getting another dentist to do porcelain crowns for my daughter. Do pediatric dentists do porcelain crowns for front teeth? Thanks Elaynna
Elaynna – Our first concern is the health of your daughter’s teeth. When a tooth is broken in half, there might be nerve damage to it. If so, a root canal treatment is needed. Has the pediatric dentist determined if there is any internal damage to your daughter’s teeth? If not, you should request a thorough examination.
Most pediatric dentists are not trained in cosmetic dentistry. But you can visit a cosmetic dentist to receive ceramic crowns for your daughter’s teeth. Before you request certain cosmetic treatment, schedule an appointment for an examination.
Before you make a final decision, there are several things to consider:
- As your daughter grows, her teeth and jawbone will also get larger. Porcelain crowns will need to be periodically replaced.
- Your daughter’s natural teeth will need to be tapered so the crowns will fit over them.
- Depending on the extent of damage, an alternative is to use direct dental bonding to restore the broken teeth. A talented cosmetic dentist can use bonding to seamlessly fill in the missing portion of each tooth.
- When your daughter’s physical growth is complete, porcelain crowns can be used to restore her teeth—if that’s necessary at all.
We suggest that you schedule appointments with two or three cosmetic dentists or prosthodontists. Compare the options provided by each dentist to determine the best way to restore your daughter’s teeth based on her age.
This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
