How to fix pitted teeth?
Children suffering from chipped, broken, or pitted teeth have a few treatment options available depending on the severity of the case and the age of the child. Any treatment that you seek needs to come from the advice of your pediatric dentist to make sure that the treatment is age-appropriate and that your child will be able to endure treatment.
Pitting can happen to baby teeth and adult teeth alike so while there are permanent restorative options such as dental crowns and veneers, they are only appropriate for patients who have developed their adult teeth. For patients who experience pitting in baby teeth, enamel microabrasion or composite bonding may be a better option.
Micro abrasion is a simple yet permanent dental treatment that removes discoloration from the surface of the tube. Yellow and brown spots caused from decalcification and pitting weakens the enamel and can lead to bigger problems down the road. Enamel microabrasion is a non-invasive treatment and only removes micro layers of enamel to ensure that the protection enamel provides the teeth remains.
Composite bonding is another way to restore pitted teeth. Bonding is the same material that is used to restore a cavity but in that case, it is called a filling. Bonding is a versatile tool that dentists can use to fabricate composite veneers, close gaps in teeth, and restore places of decay. When used to resurface pitted teeth, dental bonding is placed on the surface of the tooth and smoothed to give a natural appearance.
Dental veneers are a wonderful option to fix any cosmetic issues in patients that are older and have all of their adult teeth. If pitting is being caused by an underlying medical condition, it is important to address that before having the teeth restored. If veneers or bonding is placed but an underlying medical issue persists, the restoration will not last. Veneers are most often made of wafer thin porcelain and are placed on the anterior teeth, covering only the front surface of the tooth.
Dental crowns may be beneficial for patients with pitting on their molars. Porcelain crowns which are thicker than veneers and cover the entire tooth structure to the gum line.
Depending on the cause of your child's enamel hypoplasia, your dentist may strongly recommend one treatment above others. Children with pitting can experience tooth sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages, an increased risk of decay, and low self-esteem. Speak with your child's pediatric dentist to see what treatment options are available and which might be best for your child's individual case.