A smile is often a child’s best accessory, but sometimes, it needs a little polishing to truly shine. At Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Narineh Panoosian and Dr. Matthew McNutt specialize in transforming young smiles with safe and effective cosmetic dental and orthodontic treatments. Whether it’s brightening teeth or fixing minor imperfections, our team is here to make sure your child’s smile is something they can be proud of. Let’s explore the various ways cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics can enhance your child’s smile and boost their confidence.
What Is Pediatric Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry for kids is all about enhancing the look of your child’s teeth while ensuring treatments are gentle and age-appropriate. At Southern Smiles, we offer a variety of procedures designed specifically for young patients. From dental bonding to tooth-colored fillings, these treatments can address imperfections like stains, chips, and gaps, helping your child feel more confident about their smile. Each procedure is customized to fit your child’s needs, ensuring they get the best possible results in a safe environment. Next, let’s dive into one of the most popular cosmetic treatments—dental bonding for kids.
What Is Bonding?
Dental bonding is a child-friendly cosmetic procedure designed to repair chipped or slightly misshapen teeth. At Southern Smiles, we use a tooth-colored resin that is carefully applied to the affected area, making it an excellent option for young patients who need a quick fix for minor imperfections.
Benefits
Bonding is a gentle, non-invasive treatment that can quickly restore the appearance of a child’s tooth, helping them feel more confident about their smile. The procedure is painless and can be completed in just one visit, making it an ideal choice for children who may be nervous about dental work. Plus, the bonding material blends seamlessly with the natural teeth, creating a smooth, even look.
Process
During the bonding procedure, Dr. Panoosian will apply the resin to the chipped or misshapen area, carefully shaping it to match the natural contour of the tooth. The resin is then hardened using a special light, followed by polishing to ensure a natural, glossy finish. The results are immediate, and by giving your child a refreshed smile, they’ll be excited to show off.
While bonding is great for minor fixes, sometimes a tooth needs more comprehensive protection, which is where crowns come in—let’s explore how crowns can restore and protect your child’s teeth.
Crowns for Kids
When a child’s tooth is too damaged or weakened for a simple fix like bonding, a crown may be the ideal solution. At Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we use crowns to restore both the function and appearance of teeth that have been compromised by decay, injury, or developmental issues.
Why Crowns Are Important
Crowns are custom-made caps that cover the entire surface of a tooth, providing it with strength and protection. This is especially important for children, as a damaged tooth that still has growing left to do needs extra support. Crowns help maintain the tooth’s integrity, prevent further damage, and ensure that your child’s oral development stays on track.
Materials and Safety
We use materials that are safe, durable, and comfortable for children. Our crowns for molars and back teeth are generally made of high-grade stainless steel. There are crowns that are designed to match the natural color of your child’s teeth. However, there are some significant downsides to consider. Tooth-colored crowns require significantly more aggressive tooth reshaping in order to prepare the tooth for the crown. This typically puts the nerve of the tooth at greater risk for problems. Tooth-colored crowns are also generally more expensive. Well-done studies have shown that tooth-colored pediatric crowns are not as effective and healthy for baby teeth. Because of these reasons, we do not currently offer them to our patients. In the future, as materials and techniques continue to improve, we will re-evaluate whether or not we will recommend them to the children in our practice.
While pediatric dental procedures are great for protecting teeth, addressing alignment issues early can also make a big difference—let’s dive into how early orthodontic treatment can enhance your child’s smile.
Tooth-Colored Fillings and Dental Sealants
When it comes to keeping your child’s smile both healthy and attractive, tooth-colored fillings and dental sealants play a crucial role. At Southern Smiles, these treatments not only protect your child’s teeth but also enhance their appearance.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Cavities are common in children, but traditional silver fillings can be noticeable, especially on front teeth. Tooth-colored fillings offer a discreet alternative. Made from a durable composite resin, these fillings blend seamlessly with the natural color of your child’s teeth, making them virtually invisible. This ensures your child’s smile remains bright and natural-looking, even after treatment.
Dental Sealants
Sealants are a protective coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, where cavities often form. While their primary function is preventive, sealants also contribute to a cleaner, healthier appearance by keeping these teeth free from decay. The clear or white coating is unobtrusive, allowing the teeth to maintain their natural look while staying protected from cavities.
After exploring individual cosmetic treatments, it’s important to consider how combining these options can create the best overall results for your child—let’s look at how personalized smile makeovers at Southern Smiles can achieve just that.
Combining Treatments
We understand that every child’s smile is unique, which is why we create personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs. By combining various cosmetic procedures, we can achieve optimal results that enhance the appearance and function of your child’s teeth.
For instance, we might recommend orthodontic treatment to straighten your child’s teeth, followed by dental bonding to perfect the shape or crowns to protect and restore damaged teeth. This approach ensures that every aspect of your child’s smile is addressed.
We take a holistic view, considering both the functional and aesthetic aspects of dental care, so your child can enjoy a healthy, beautiful smile that boosts their confidence and lasts a lifetime.
Creating Smiles That Shine
At Southern Smiles, we believe every child deserves a smile that lights up the room. Through a combination of personalized cosmetic treatments like bonding, crowns, and orthodontics, Dr. Matthew McNutt, Dr. Narineh Panoosian, and Dr. Dan Howell can help your child achieve a confident, beautiful smile. Schedule a free consultation at our Cary or Clayton office today!