Restorative Dentistry on Long Island

Suffolk Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics provides restorative dental services for children in Long Island, NY. Call us at one of our 5 locations in Port Jefferson Station, Wading River, Sayville, Smithtown, and Medford to learn more and schedule your appointment. 

Restorative dentistry is a term used to describe treatments that restore the function, strength, and appearance of a tooth that is damaged or decayed. Your child’s primary teeth play an important role in their development, helping them eat nutritious foods, speak properly, and ensuring that there is sufficient room for the adult teeth to erupt. This is why it’s important to treat any dental issues that can compromise their oral health.

Our restorative procedures include:

We offer amalgam fillings, which are ideal for placing in the molars. Made from a metal alloy, these fillings are strong and durable, which means they can withstand chewing and biting forces.

Composite fillings blend in with the rest of your child’s smile for a seamless appearance. Because of their natural look, they’re a good fit for front teeth and secondary teeth. Once areas of decay are removed, the tooth is filled with composite material that is hardened with a curing light.

Bonding is a cosmetic procedure that uses a tooth-colored resin material to fill in chips, cover over discoloration, or seal cracks in a tooth. The bonding material is applied to the tooth and it is carefully shaped by your child’s dentist. The procedure is fast and painless, with results that look natural.

Learn more about Cosmetic Bonding

When tooth decay reaches the inner chamber of the tooth, it can cause an infection in the pulp. A root canal removes this pulp, which prevents the need for an extraction and preserves space for the adult tooth when it’s time for it to erupt.

A dental crown restores the strength and function of a tooth that is badly damaged or decayed. Pediatric dental crowns are made with a strong, durable stainless steel material, which covers over the remaining healthy tooth structure.

Learn more about Dental Crowns

It’s always best if we can use restorative dental treatments to save your child’s tooth, but sometimes this is not possible. In such cases, an extraction may be needed to restore oral health. During an extraction, the affected area is numbed with local anesthesia, then an instrument called an elevator loosens the tooth. Once loosened, forceps are used to remove it from the socket.

Occasionally a tooth may be about to fall out on its own and a cavity can be left untreated, but in most cases, a cavity should be filled. Untreated cavities can cause pain, difficulty eating, infection, and embarrassment.

There are many reasons why your child might be getting cavities. A diet high in sugar and starch, poor brushing and flossing habits, and pits and grooves on the chewing surfaces of the teeth are all common causes. Dental sealants can help reduce the risk of tooth decay.

Sometimes a tooth is so damaged or decayed that a dental filling cannot be used to repair it. In these cases, a dental crown is needed. It allows us to remove all of the damaged areas and then cover over the remaining healthy structure with a stainless steel cap.

The lifespan of bonding depends on the location in the mouth, the amount of bonding needed, and your child’s oral habits. They can last up to 8 years with good care.

If your child has to have a primary tooth extracted, we may use a space maintainer to replace the tooth and hold space for the adult tooth to erupt. Without a space maintainer, the adjacent teeth may begin to shift into the open space.

Are you looking for a pediatric dentist in Port Jefferson Station, Wading River, Sayville, Smithtown, or Medford, NY? Contact us today to make an appointment.