Types of Pediatric Crowns in Dentistry
It is very natural that as a parent, you tend to be possessive about your children. It hurts when they have to go through dental cleaning procedure or crown placement.
But, rest assured, technology has immensely grown and now every crown implantation is done in a simple and easy way. In this article, let us focus on the types of pediatric crowns in dentistry.
The types of crowns in pediatric dentistry include:
● Stainless Steel crowns
● Composite Strip crowns
● Polycarbonate crowns
● Zirconia Ceramic crowns
● Resin Veneered crowns
Just as there are different names, these crowns have various advantages/disadvantages and the dentists use them as per the requirement.
The factors, dentists consider prior to choosing the crown for the child are its:
● Cost
● Adaptability
● Aesthetics
● Durability
● Retentiveness
● Placement time
● Allergic
1. Stainless Steel Crowns (or SSC)
It is surprising to note this type has been in use in dentistry since eight decades. Yes, a slight variation might have occurred in the components’ composition. They are composed of components such as chromium, carbon, iron and other metals. These crowns are resistant to corrosion by saliva.
Pros:
● Durable
● Used for molar teeth
● Not expensive
● At times, they can be trimmed
● Ir-resistant to moisture and corrosion
● Easy to implant
Cons:
● Do not have normal tooth color
● Can lead to metal allergic cases in rare situations
● Poor Aestheticity
● Irritation of tissues
2. Composite Clearfix Crowns
These crowns are placed on specific tooth by making use of clear plastic form/mold and hard composite. They can give the impression of a normal tooth, and can easily get fractured. Mostly used to rectify anterior teeth.
Pros:
● Moderate cost
Cons:
● Very less durability
● May break under more moisture conditions
3. PolyCarbonate Crowns
The main component of this crown is polycarbonate resin shells. During placement, dentists make use of self-adhesive resin. This crown can resemble the appearance of a normal tooth in color and impression.
Although they are used as per the requirement, their use is limited to temporary fillings. But one disadvantage, these crowns come in only one color. The advantage, they can be made to resemble human tooth color with liners and cements.
Pros:
● Can get easily molded with heat
● Good aesthetic availability
Cons:
● Require moisture control
4. Resin Veneer Crowns
The most expensive among the types of pediatric crowns. They are also stainless steel crowns but with white color because of composite resin. The potent combination combines the strength of stainless steel with the resin characteristics (aesthetics). Yes, they can handle moisture and other problems, but the dentist needs to remove more tooth structure for placement.
Pros:
● Durability
● Excellent adaptability
● Does not become susceptible to moisture
Cons:
● High cost
● There are chances the resin may go allergic
● The dentist will find it difficult to limit trimming/crimping of crown
● The procedure may prove difficult in uncooperative children
5. Zirconia Ceramic Crowns
Does the name sound different? Even the composition. This crown is made of zirconium oxide stabilized by yttrium oxide. In some zirconia crowns, porcelain is also mixed inside the substructure.
There are chances, the crown may contain porcelain on the exterior surface. These dental crowns are very strong, can withstand wear and tear. They also cost more compared to the other crowns. Preferred in cases where the temporary tooth is about to fall and the permanent tooth is going to appear.
Conclusion
The worst words that can come from a dentist to a parent is his/her child having cavities or decay in their teeth. But in recent times, with technology, even a child can get the best dental treatment sans pain and with moderate cost. By reading the content given above, you may have gained enough knowledge about the types of pediatric crowns in the dental field.