When should you use crowns on primary teeth? | Dental Treatment Guide


Crowns or caps are covers that are placed over an entire tooth so that the whole tooth looks like a natural tooth. Crowns are used for severely damaged teeth. In children, crowns are used for several reasons.

It is important to save the primary teeth until they are ready to be replaced by the permanent teeth. Primary teeth are important for several reasons. They improve cosmetics, allow you to talk properly, chew properly, and they also guide your permanent teeth to their proper places in your mouth. If decayed primary teeth are not treated then the infection may spread to the rest of the mouth. Infection in the mouth may lead to other health problems.

For the molars

Molars are the teeth at the back of your mouth and they are used for chewing. There are eight primary molars and dentists put crowns on them for several reasons

  • when a primary tooth or a young permanent tooth has extensive decay
  • when a filling could be too large and could weaken the tooth
  • when the primary tooth did not develop properly
  • in children who have high levels of decay, are disabled, or have poor oral hygiene habits

For the front teeth

The front teeth include the incisors and the canines which are used for biting and tearing food. There are four primary incisors and two primary canines in each of your jaws, the upper and the lower. Dentists will place crowns on these front teeth in certain cases like

  • there is large decay on several surfaces
  • the tooth has gone through root canal therapy
  • the tooth has been fractured and part of it has been lost already
  • the tooth did not develop properly
  • the tooth is discoloured

Your child may need a crown for a relatively small cavity in primary teeth because they are small and have thinner layers. Crowns can strengthen the tooth and protect it from cracking or breaking.

Further Information Childrens Dental Treatments