“How effective are fillings for baby teeth?”

Quality fillings with modern dental materials are very effective for children. Certain medications can be applied to decrease sensitivity.

Please do not refer to the first set of teeth as baby teeth. They may come in young, but the primary molars do not get replaced with permanent teeth until 11 and 12!! If your child is in discomfort from a cavity in a primary tooth, the first choice for proper development of the mouth and space maintenance is to restore (fill) the tooth!!

Yes, a tooth filling on a baby tooth that has cavities is very important and effective. The sensitivity is most probably due to a cavity (bacteria) that has infiltrated the tooth structure, and removal of this bacteria followed by a filling is the best tx option.

Fillings in baby teeth are very effective. Even though “baby teeth” are temporary, a parent must remember that they serve a very important job as being natural space holders for permanent teeth. There are 20 baby teeth that usually take 6 years to fully exfoliate. So, a child will start losing their baby teeth at age 6 and fully complete that process by age 12. Therefore, it’s in the best interest of the child to restore decayed teeth in order to maintain oral heathy. There is also a marked difference between permanent and primary. Since primary teeth are not meant to last beyond a certain number of years they are not as strong as permanent teeth. They structurally have thinner enamel so decay can spread faster and cause pulp damage at a quicker rate than in permanent teeth.

Filings are very effective in baby teeth. Most pain and sensitivity is caused by cavities. So by feeling the tooth it removes that pain and discomfort. Therefore the fillings on baby teeth are very effective. If left unintended it can cause a lot more difficulties. It is important though that after the fillings are done that your child maintains a good oral hygiene. That way the teeth will become less sensitive over time.

Dr Jensen