Stainless Steel Crowns
Sometimes called “silver crowns” or “silver caps,” (not to be confused with old-school silver fillings which contain mercury) Stainless Steel Crowns are one of the most reliable, time-tested restorations in dentistry. Crowns offer full-coverage protection to teeth that need them. There are several reasons why a crown may be the best treatment for a tooth, but the most common reason is that the tooth is broken down so much that a filling wouldn’t last or would potentially compromise the rest of the tooth. Crowns keep the tooth intact and prevent further breakdown from occurring.
Note: Stainless Steel Crowns are only placed on posterior (back) teeth called molars.
White crowns
Tooth-colored crowns are sometimes needed on incisors (front teeth) when they have cavities that are too extensive for fillings to be used. These crowns are made of a sturdy composite material that is designed to last the life of the tooth.
Space Maintainers
If a baby molar (back tooth) is removed in a younger patient whose permanent tooth isn’t expected to come in for a long time, an appliance called a space maintainer is often placed. As their name implies, space maintainers hold room for a tooth that needs to come in sometime in the future. This ensures that it will go in the right place and won’t be blocked out by other teeth. Space maintainers help prevent impacted teeth and other orthodontic issues.
