What to Expect for a Child’s Tooth Filling

Nothing is more important to a parent than their child’s health; that is why it’s important to know what to expect when you take your child for their first dental filling. Hearing your child has cavities can be heartbreaking and puzzling at the same time. In addition, you may feel partly responsible for their misfortunes despite ensuring they brush their teeth twice a day, especially before bedtime.

According to a report by the World Health Organization, cavities affect more than 60% of children who’ve achieved the school-going age. With dental fillings being one of the most common tooth restoration options for patients with decaying teeth, it’s likely a pediatric dentist near you will recommend it for your child’s teeth. This article will discuss dental fillings restorations for children and what to expect when taking your child to get their first dental fillings.

What Causes Cavities in Children?

Cavities are common among children and often occur due to not brushing their teeth properly. Here are some common causes of cavities in children:

• Too much consumption of sugar and starch
• Consuming nonfluorinated public water
• Mouth breathing which tends to lessen saliva flow and causes dry mouth
• Medications that weaken teeth
• Bad oral hygiene routines and products

How to Prepare Your Child for Dental Filling

Children tend to be disoriented and can not be left to prepare for a dental appointment on their own. It’s, therefore, up to you, as a parent, to educate and prepare your child for a dental filling a few days before taking them to see a pediatric dentist in Conway, SC. Here are tips to help you do that:

Keep Your Child Comfortable With a Great Attitude

The best way to prepare your child for a dental filling is to ensure they are comfortable and positive before the dental appointment. First of all, don’t panic when your child’s Conway pediatric dentist gives you news about finding a cavity in your child’s tooth. This is important since children can pick up their parent’s emotions; therefore, panicking will make them scared and put them in a bad attitude. So, when telling your child about cavities, avoid using scary words which might discourage them from going to the dentist. For example, instead of using the word cavity, you can opt for another term, such as “sugar spots,” to ease their anxiety.

Prepare With Your Dentist

Since your child may be too young to understand or make decisions about their dental health, it will be up to you to talk to their dentist on their behalf. Try to find out which dental filling material can be used, the sedation technique that will be used, and aftercare instructions that may be specifically meant for your child.

We recommend composite as a dental filling material for children. The filling is made from composite resin, which directly bonds to your child’s tooth, thus protecting it from further damage. It is also natural looking and attractive, so your child won’t have to worry about their peers noticing they have dental fillings.

The sedation technique used during your child’s dental filling treatment will depend on how comfortable they are before treatment. For example, your child may need to be sedated rather than put on local anesthesia if they are very anxious before treatment.

The Day of Their Appointment

Staff working for our Conway pediatric dentist will greet and receive you warmly once you enter our dental clinic. If it’s your first time visiting our dental clinic, our staff can help you find your way to Dr. Robert Ellis’s office, where he will examine your kid’s teeth to locate the cavities in their teeth.

Before treatment, we will give your child local anesthesia or a sedative to ensure they are comfortable while we rid their tooth of cavities. Once done, we will fill the cavity with filling material such as composite, then use a UV light to seal it.

Continued Care

This is the most crucial step after dental filling. Be sure to ask any question involving your child’s well-being before leaving the dentist’s appointment. Common aftercare tips post-dental filling include:

• Methods of relieving dental pain, like placing a cold cloth on your child’s face to alleviate dental pain and reduced swelling
• Taking care of the numbed area of your child’s mouth until it regains sensation
• Following the dentist’s prescriptions to avoid complications
• Adhering to dietary restrictions set for your child to follow during recovery

Children’s Dentistry of Conway Is Your Pediatric Choice

Visit Kids First Dental if you are looking for the best dental fillings near you for your child. We have a highly skilled and experienced pediatric dentist who will protect your child from future dental problems by doing thorough routine dental checkups. Our pediatric dentist is also trained to perform simple and complex dental operations safely and accurately, so your child will be in safe hands while at our dental clinic.