Jupiter Pediatric Dental Fillings

At The Little Royals: Dentistry For Kids, we prefer to use composite dental fillings for our patients. Composite fillings are an alternative to traditional metal amalgam fillings, which contain metals like silver, mercury, tin, and copper. 
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Composite fillings are made of special dental resin. Unlike metal fillings, they can be matched to the color of your child’s teeth, which prevents discoloration and ensures their smile looks great. 
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Composite fillings also bond tightly to the tooth and strengthen it, and usually require less tooth preparation and enamel removal compared to metal fillings. Due to all of these benefits, we strongly recommend that you consider composite fillings for your child’s cavity.

Fillings are important for halting cavities and reversing their harmful effects. Left untreated, cavities can cause tooth infections which result in tooth loss. In turn, this will negatively affect your child’s oral development.
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Even if your child has a cavity in a baby tooth, it’s important to have it filled. Cavities cause a lot of pain and discomfort, and if your child’s tooth becomes infected and falls out before their adult teeth begin to grow in, this can cause developmental difficulties and prevent their permanent teeth from erupting properly. 

The process of getting a filling at The Little Royals: Dentistry for Kids is very simple and straightforward. You are welcome to sit in with your child throughout the entire process and comfort them if they’re feeling scared or nervous.
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First, Dr. Yasi or Dr. Sal Colombo will gently clean your child’s teeth, and then they will numb the treatment area using a topical anesthetic. Your child can also be sedated with laughing gas for their appointment. If you choose sedation, your child will have a nose mask placed onto their face, and they’ll simply breathe through it when instructed to do so by Dr. Sal or Dr. Yasi.
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Next, your child’s tooth will be prepared for the filling. Dr. Sal or Dr. Yasi will use a dental drill to remove any decayed enamel from the treatment area. Then, the tooth will be cleaned. Next, they will choose a dental composite that matches your child’s tooth, and apply it to the cavity in layers, restoring the natural shape and function of your child’s tooth. 
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Finally, your child’s filling will be trimmed and their bite will be checked. Dr. Sal and Dr. Yasi will refine the shape of the filling until it fits in perfectly with the rest of their teeth. Then, the area will be cleaned, buffed, and polished. Once this is complete, they are ready to go home or back to school! We proudly serve the Jupiter and Palm Beach Garden communities.

A silver filling is made of silver amalgam which is a very durable, long-lasting, and strong material. These fillings are ideal for the posterior teeth such as the premolars and molars. When a child gets a cavity in a rear tooth that is for chewing, a large portion of the tooth may need to be removed. 
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These teeth also undergo much more force from chewing and grinding so they need a stronger and more stable filling. White fillings, also known as composite resin or tooth-colored fillings are ideal for the anterior teeth located in the front of the mouth. These teeth are visible when your child smiles and the tooth-colored fillings will blend in with the natural teeth, going completely unnoticed. 
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However, these fillings are not preferable for the rear teeth that are used for chewing. This is because composite resin is not as durable as silver fillings and can become worn down over a shorter period. Silver fillings are also more affordable and more likely to be covered by insurance.
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Children may be concerned about the appearance of silver fillings, but when they’re placed in the back teeth, they go mostly unnoticeable. These fillings are also only temporary in the deciduous teeth because these teeth will fall out and be replaced. Some parents prefer composite resin fillings because they do not contain mercury though studies have shown the mercury present in amalgam fillings poses no risk.

No, getting a tooth filled is a routine and painless procedure that our talented dentists perform all the time. We will administer local anesthesia to your child’s mouth to numb the entire area. They won’t feel anything except a bit of pressure such as the sensation of the tooth being worked on.
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If your child is in pain from a cavity, having the decay removed from the tooth and filled with composite resin or silver amalgam will relieve the pain. Leaving a cavity untreated can lead to infection and damage to the tooth’s pulp which can result in severe pain for your child and even risk losing the tooth.

Yes, dental sedation is always an option for your child during any dental appointment, no matter how small the treatment is. We offer nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, to relax your child and put them at ease. Dental sedation is beneficial to children who have dental anxiety, a low pain tolerance, sensitive gag reflex, or who are restless and uncooperative.
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If your child experiences distress in anticipation of their dental appointment, nitrous oxide can put them in a state of relaxation, euphoria, and sometimes giddiness. The advantage of nitrous oxide is that it has a very quick onset. Your child will feel the effects almost immediately after we flow nitrous oxide and oxygen into the gas mask that they inhale. 
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Within a few minutes, your child will be fully sedated and feel much calmer and at ease, possibly even sleepy. However, they will be fully awake and conscious, able to respond to any questions during the procedure. Nitrous oxide is a mild sedative that is safe for use in children. The best part? Your child likely won’t remember the procedure at all when it’s all over!