Cosmetic Pediatric Dentistry: Four Cosmetic Dental Procedures Recommended For Children

A common misconception about cosmetic dentistry is that it is only applicable to adults. However, even pediatric dentists provide several cosmetic dental procedures for children. 

Nonetheless, unlike the cosmetic dental procedures for adults, those recommended for children are minimally invasive because their teeth and jaws are still in the development stages. Thus, before opting for any cosmetic dentistry treatment for your child, you need to discuss it with a pediatric dentist to determine if it is recommendable for the child to undergo the procedure.

With that said, here are four types of cosmetic dental procedures recommended for children by pediatric dentists.

Teeth Whitening

It is a common occurrence for children to develop stained teeth primarily due to their poor oral hygiene practices and eating habits. Sometimes, stained teeth are the reason why children become the laughing stock of their peers at school or daycare. As a result, the child may become embarrassed of their stained teeth leading to low self-esteem and the inability to smile confidently.

However, you can prevent your child from suffering the embarrassment associated with stained teeth by opting for pediatric teeth whitening services. Teeth whitening can help them regain the whiteness of their teeth and enable them to smile confidently again.

No-Prep Veneers

Traditionally, veneers were also assumed only to get used by adults. However, children also have specifically designed veneers termed as no-prep veneers. Unlike adult veneers, no-prep veneers are minimally invasive, and thus they do not require the original tooth structure to get altered before a child can wear them.

No-prep veneers are recommended for children with decayed milk teeth that are not yet ready to come out. Additionally, no-prep veneers can also get worn temporally to cover the gaps left behind when the teeth fall out until the new permanent teeth develop.

Crowning

Sometimes, a child may get a cracked tooth while playing. If the chipped tooth is permanent, then the crack can compromise the integrity of the tooth. If neglected for too long, the crack could expand, eventually leading to the tooth decaying or falling out. Additionally, a cracked or chipped tooth could inhibit your child's ability to smile confidently.

Thus, to prevent the above situations, a crown is recommended. Crowns involve installing an artificial crown made of composite material on the cracked/chipped tooth. The artificial crown covers the damaged tooth entirely up to the gums, thereby providing the impression of a perfect tooth.

Dental Flipper

When tooth decay or trauma results in a child losing a permanent tooth, dental implants cannot be utilized because their jaws are still developing. As a result, a child's jaws are not strong enough to hold a dental implant.

However, a dental flipper is recommended in place of a dental implant for the time being. A dental flipper is a removable partial denture, and it gets fitted on the gums right between the existing teeth, providing an entire row of teeth. Thus, irrespective of the missing tooth, a child can also chew without difficulty using the dental flipper.