Stainless Steel Crowns
Stainless Steel Crowns (SSC) have a long history in paediatric dentistry across the globe. Crowns are prefabricated with multiple sizes and shapes available for molar teeth. They are extremely durable and as such are an invaluable material for paediatric dentists.
Indications for stainless steel crowns
- Teeth with large carious lesions (holes)
- Teeth that have had pulp therapy
- Where the quality of the remaining tooth structure is poor (chalky, or hypomineralised) - (including adult teeth that will need porcelain crowns once a child has stopped growing)
- Teeth with excessive wear (due to erosion or grinding habits)
- Children who require general anaesthesia for dental care
- Children with a high decay rate (Australasian Academy for Paediatric Dentistry Guidelines)
Placement of stainless-steel crowns
Stainless steel crowns are cemented to the teeth using dental cements. This is often done using local anaesthetic or as a part of treatment under general anaesthesia. Crowns go over the remaining tooth and restorative material inside the tooth. Deciduous (baby) teeth with stainless steel crowns are lost (fall out) normally with the crown coming out as a part of the tooth.
Cleaning, care and maintenance of stainless-steel crowns
Stainless steel crowns are cemented to the teeth but may become de-bonded particularly with hard or sticky food (muesli bars, confectionary). Teeth treated with a stainless steel crown still need thorough brushing and flossing to maintain their health. Teeth should have radiographs (x-rays) at least every two years to monitor the underlying tooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stainless steel crowns are cemented to the teeth using dental cements. This is often done using local anaesthetic or as a part of treatment under general anaesthesia. Crowns go over the remaining tooth and restorative material inside the tooth. Deciduous (baby) teeth with stainless steel crowns are lost (fall out) normally with the crown coming out as a part of the tooth.
Stainless steel crowns are cemented to the teeth but may become de-bonded particularly with hard or sticky food (muesli bars, confectionary). Teeth treated with a stainless steel crown still need thorough brushing and flossing to maintain their health. Teeth should have radiographs (x-rays) at least every two years to monitor the underlying tooth.
Meet Our Clinicians:
Dr William Tang
Paediatric Specialist
Dr Will graduated in 2010 from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Dentistry. After graduation, Dr Will worked for several years in the wider Newcastle region before returning ...
Dr Nivethanan Kamalendran
Paediatric Specialist
Dr Niv is a registered specialist paediatric dentist who completed undergraduate training in India and his specialist training in Paediatric Dentistry at the University of Otago in New Zealand.
Before moving ...
Dr Helen Cornwell
Paediatric Specialist
Dr Helen completed her Bachelor of Dental Surgery in Adelaide and specialist training at the highly regarded University of Melbourne, where she became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College ...