Tooth restoration is one of the common treatment methods in the dental industry, which is used in most cases to treat tooth decay, fractures, or other injuries. In children, whose baby teeth are treatable, tooth restoration plays an important role in providing health care and preventing further damage to the baby teeth. However, the delay in the beginning of tooth restoration in children can have serious and unfavorable consequences. In this article, we examine the effect of delay in the beginning of tooth restoration in children and its consequences.
Consequences of delay in the initiation of tooth restoration
The delay in the beginning of tooth restoration in children can lead to problems that affect different physical and mental parts of the child. Some of these consequences are discussed below:
Severity of pain: If the restoration of the tooth is delayed, damage to the structure of the milk tooth will occur and the tooth may be painful. In some cases, this pain is so severe that the child may refuse to eat or drink hot or cold foods.
Infection: If a baby tooth injury is improperly treated, infection or inflammation of the tooth can follow. In some cases, the infection spreads from the tooth to other parts of the body and causes more serious problems.
Risk of dental infection: The risk of dental infection increases by delaying the start of tooth restoration. These infections may lead to swelling and pain in the tooth area and some cases even cause the infection to spread to other parts of the body.
More damage to the teeth: The longer the delay in the start of tooth restoration, the more likely the teeth will be damaged. For example, an initial tooth restoration may be done using a small, simple restorative material. But if the restoration of the tooth is delayed and reaches the point where the tooth breaks, it is necessary to do the restoration, which involves the use of more complex and expensive restorations.
Creating bad habits in dental behavior: By delaying the start of tooth restoration, the child may develop bad habits in dental behavior. For example, if a temporary tooth that needs to be restored is delayed, the child may refuse to eat hard foods because the tooth hurts more than usual. This matter
Deterioration of the condition of the teeth: delay in starting the treatment and restoration of damaged teeth can cause them to break and deteriorate further. As a result, the need for more complicated dental treatments and more cost to restore the teeth arises.
Improper growth of teeth: delay in restorative treatment can lead to other problems. For example, children’s teeth in the first two decades of life have a very short period of growth and development. For this reason, children’s teeth should be repaired as soon as possible so that the teeth are properly prepared to perform their duties during the process of growth and development.
Damage to oral tissues: Failure to repair damaged teeth can cause the aggravation of oral infections and damage to oral tissues.
Causing pain and discomfort: delay in starting the restoration of damaged teeth may cause pain and discomfort in the mouth. In the long term, these problems can lead to increased symptoms of oral and gum diseases.
Speech and breathing problems: delay in repairing damaged teeth can lead to the exacerbation of children’s speech and breathing problems.
Causes of delay in teeth restoration in children
In the following, the causes of delay in the beginning of tooth restoration in children and its consequences will be investigated.
3. Causes of delay in teeth restoration in children
The delay in the beginning of tooth restoration in children can be due to various reasons, including individual, social, cultural, economic, and structural factors, which will be discussed below.
3.1. Individual factors
Individual factors can include the type and intensity of pain, fear, and anxiety, caused by adverse experiences in dentistry, the child’s non-cooperation during treatment, and lack of confidence in the dentist.
3.2. Social and cultural factors
Culture and education in the family, environment, and atmosphere of friends and communication with peers, methods of education, and phenomenological abilities of the child are among the social and cultural factors that affect the way and behavior of the child regarding dentistry and treatment.
3.3. Economic factors
The economic limitation of the family and the expenses paid for dental treatment in some cases can be the causes of the delay in the beginning of tooth restoration in children.
3.4. Structural factors
Structural factors can include the absence of a dentist in Ottawa in the place of residence or the lack of tools and equipment in the dental office.