Stainless Steel Crowns, as the name implies are crowns that are made of stainless steel. They are pre-fabricated crowns that come in different sizes. They can be adjusted to fit the baby teeth in the office and will not be sent to the lab like that of adult crowns.
SSC are indicated when a large filling is placed on a baby teeth because of a large cavity or when the cavity is deep enough to perform a procedure called Formocresol Pulpotomy.
Formocresol Pulpotomy and SSC are performed under local anesthesia. When the cavity is large and has compromised the pulp or the nerve of the tooth, Pulpotomy is performed, which is defined as the removal of pulp from the crown portion of the tooth and leaving the root portion the pulp intact to promote exfoliation of the tooth naturally. A chemical called Formocresol soaked in a small cotton pellet is placed inside the crown of the tooth to stop bleeding. Once the bleeding is stopped, a filling is placed and the tooth is prepared for the SSC. The SSC is then adjusted to fit the tooth and cemented. By this procedure the primary tooth is preserved , which will help in maintaining the space for, and proper eruption of permanent teeth.
This is an in-office procedure done in one visit. If any questions please call our office at 214-387-8400.
