Restorative dental treatments are required when preventive treatment is not enough to avoid certain issues, like cavities, chipped teeth, injuries, or any damage to the teeth. Restorative treatments from our Winston-Salem dental office solve the problem and restore the protective layers of the teeth, improving not only their function but their appearance as well.
During a restorative dental appointment, we focus on keeping your child calm and content. Your child will be able to enjoy a movie on Disney+ while we use kid-friendly language to guide your child successfully through the appointment. If nitrous oxide is being used, a small, sleek mask (which we refer to as a "space mask" or "unicorn nose") will be placed over your child's nose and as they nasal breathe, they will begin to enjoy the calming effects. For more information on nitrous oxide or oral sedation, please refer to the sedation page.
It is important that parents use positive and friendly language when discussing your child's upcoming dental appointment. If you are unsure of what to say, please speak with your dentist ahead of time to make sure we are all on the same page to help your little one have a positive experience!
Depending on what the issue is, the team of oral health specialists at Creative Kids Pediatric Dentistry in Winston-Salem can provide state-of-the-art, minimally-invasive treatments to solve whatever problem your child is facing. Dr. Annie will do everything she can to save your child’s teeth, but can also replace them with the appropriate prosthetics if necessary.
Composite fillings are matched to the color of your child’s tooth so it can blend in with the rest of their smile. Very little enamel is removed when adding a composite filling, which allows your child’s tooth to stay healthy and strong.
Zirconia crowns offer the same protection as stainless steel crowns, but they are white, matching the color of your child's natural teeth. These white crowns help seal a tooth after it has been damaged or broken. This option leaves little patients with a seamless, confident smile.
Stainless steel crowns are typically recommended for kids who have large cavities, or who have a tooth that has been damaged or broken by dental trauma.
A pulpotomy is a procedure that is performed when decay has contaminated the dental pulp (nerve). Dr. Annie will clean the decay, remove the top portion of the contaminated nerve, and place a medicine over the remaining healthy nerve to keep the tooth alive and strong. The tooth will then be covered with a stainless steel or white crown.
Extractions are typically a last-resort option for Dr. Annie. But occasionally, a tooth may simply be too damaged to save, and extraction may be the best way for your child to get relief from pain and discomfort. Using special tools and the right sedation option for your child, Dr. Annie can extract troublesome teeth quickly and without pain or discomfort.
Pediatric partials, also known as “flippers”, are custom prosthetics used to temporarily replace missing teeth. Flippers are a type of partial denture that temporarily fills in a gap within your child’s smile. While flippers are normally used to replace one missing tooth, pediatric partials can be used to replace multiple teeth temporarily.
The treatment of a tongue or lip tie is a simple procedure called a frenectomy. A tongue or lip tie occurs when the "frenulum" a band of connective tissue, remains in tact and restricts and impairs movement of the lips, tongue, or both. During a frenectomy, the tissue band is released using our state-of-the-art CO2 laser. This type of laser is very gentle and allows the procedure to be performed using only a topical, and sometimes local anesthetic.
If your child loses a baby tooth prematurely, Dr. Annie may recommend a space maintainer. This dental prosthetic fits in the gap where the tooth used to be and prevents the other teeth from shifting. Space maintainers also encourage your child's permanent tooth to erupt properly.
Nitrous oxide, sometimes called laughing gas, is the most frequently used method for easing mild to moderate anxiety in children during dental procedures. It is a safe, sweet-smelling gas that your child will breathe in and out through their nose. Laughing gas from our Winston-Salem office only takes a few minutes to take effect and helps your child feel calm and relaxed to complete minimally invasive dental treatment.
Most children are candidates for Nitrous Oxide. However, certain patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), uncontrolled asthma, or MFTHFR gene may not be candidates for nitrous oxide.
To ensure your child has a soothing, pain-free restorative procedure, our office offers oral conscious sedation. Oral conscious sedation is an option that is taken in a liquid form or as a pill to help your child stay calm, relaxed, and free of any pain or discomfort during their treatment.
For children who cannot receive traditional dental care, hospital dentistry offers a compassionate and efficient alternative. Children with extensive needs or those who are medically compromised are more safely managed under general anesthesia, where all necessary treatment is completed in one visit under the supervision of a medical and dental team. Creative Kids Pediatric Dentistry is credentialed to treat patients at Valleygate Dental Surgery Center in Greensboro, NC.
Dr. Annie and our upbeat team are experts at working with kids of all ages and abilities. We use a patient, kind, and informative approach to care that will help keep your child feeling safe and calm throughout their appointments. Beyond this, we also offer several sedation options that can help your child feel more comfortable during their treatment.
In most cases, treatments for children like pulpotomies, extractions, crowns, and fillings are covered in some capacity by insurance. However, each plan is different and has different coverage, deductibles, and yearly maximums. Consult with your insurer and your Winston-Salem dentist to learn more and ensure that your child’s procedures are covered.
