Why do pediatric dentists treat baby teeth with stainless steel crowns?
It is often jokingly said that pediatric dentists do too many stainless steel crowns and general dentists do too few stainless steel crowns. Some dentists feel that amalgams and composites are conservative treatment options for children and the use of stainless steel crowns is too aggressive. In many cases the exact opposite is true. If a baby tooth or an adult tooth has too much dental decay to warrant a crown, then a crown should be placed. A stainless steel crown often times can take half the amount of drilling when compared to doing a filling. Also, a stainless steel crown is a very durable restoration and when compared with fillings often times do not need to be replaced as often. Therefore, the stainless steel crown can really be the most conservative option in these situations. There are numerous studies proving the longevity and superiority of a stainless steel crown when compared to a traditional silver or composite filling. We are always pleased to discuss the differences bet
