When your child has a cavity or a chipped tooth, I use tooth-colored composite fillings that blend naturally with their smile. Before I begin, I gently numb the area and, when needed, place a small protective barrier called a rubber dam to keep your child safe. Then I carefully remove the cavity, clean the tooth, and restore it — leaving it looking and feeling like new.
Treating cavities
Fillings, crowns and cavity treatment
What happens when a check-up finds something, explained properly before anything is booked. For children from birth to 18 in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.
Before anything is booked
You’ll see what I see, first
If I find a cavity, I’ll show it to you — on the tooth or on the x-ray — and explain what it is, how urgent it is, and what the realistic options are, including doing nothing for now and watching it. Then you decide.
Parents often ask whether a baby tooth is worth treating at all. Sometimes the honest answer is that it isn’t, and I’ll say so. But some back baby teeth aren’t replaced until around age twelve, and a decayed tooth in a five-year-old has years left to hurt, become infected, and disturb eating and sleep. Where that’s the case, treating it is the kinder path.
My expertise
Treatments I provide
Tap any treatment to read what it involves, in plain language.
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Sometimes a cavity is too large for a simple filling — there isn’t enough healthy tooth left for a filling to hold onto, and it would keep failing. A crown covers the whole tooth instead, which is why it lasts.
For back teeth I typically use stainless steel crowns, because they are extremely durable and most likely to see the tooth through until it’s naturally replaced. Where a white crown is a sound choice for the tooth and your child’s bite, I use zirconia, which is tooth-colored and strong. I’ll always tell you honestly which I’d recommend and why.
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Silver diamine fluoride is a liquid painted directly onto a cavity to stop it from progressing. There’s no drilling, no numbing and no injection, and the application itself takes a minute or two.
It’s particularly useful for very young children, for children who find treatment difficult, and as a way of holding a tooth stable until your child is ready for something more. One thing to know before you choose it: it permanently stains the decayed part of the tooth black. On a back tooth that’s rarely a concern; on a front tooth it’s very visible. I’ll show you what it looks like so you can decide with your eyes open.
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When a cavity reaches the nerve of a tooth, it can cause pain and infection. In these cases, I gently clean out the affected nerve tissue, place a soothing antibacterial medicine, and seal the tooth with a protective filling. Because the tooth is more fragile afterward, I’ll place a crown on top to keep it strong and functional.
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Removing a tooth is always my last resort — I do everything I can to preserve your child’s natural teeth first. However, sometimes an extraction is necessary, either because a tooth can’t be saved or as part of an orthodontic plan. If a baby molar is removed too early, I’ll place a space maintainer to protect the room for the adult tooth coming in.
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When a baby tooth is lost too early, the surrounding teeth can shift into the empty space, which may block the adult tooth from coming in properly. To prevent this, I use small custom appliances called space maintainers that gently hold the space open until the permanent tooth is ready to erupt.
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Every child’s smile is unique, and some need orthodontic care to reach their full potential. I’ve built strong relationships with the top orthodontists in our area, and I’ll personally recommend the right specialist based on your child’s specific needs. From braces to clear aligners, I’ll make sure your child is in the best hands and I’ll stay involved throughout their treatment journey.
Nitrous oxide is available for treatment as well as cleanings. How laughing gas works.
Keeping it calm
How I handle treatment with a nervous child
I explain each step before it happens, in words a child can hold on to, and I don’t spring anything on them. Children cope with a great deal when they know what’s coming and trust that nobody is going to trick them.
Practically, that means numbing gel before anything sharp, never showing a child the needle, and letting them raise a hand to pause at any point — and meaning it when they do. For children who need more than that, nitrous oxide helps, and for children with special healthcare needs the whole visit is planned differently from the start.
Care for children with special healthcare needsCommon questions
Questions parents ask
Do cavities in baby teeth really need to be treated?
Often yes. Baby teeth hold the space for the adult teeth behind them, and a decayed baby tooth can hurt, become infected, and affect eating and sleep. Some back baby teeth aren’t replaced until age twelve, so a cavity at five has a long time to cause trouble.
Will my child need an injection?
For a filling or a crown, usually yes — the area needs to be properly numb for your child to be comfortable. I numb the gum with a topical gel first, and I don’t show children the needle or use the word.
Why stainless steel instead of a white filling?
When a cavity is large, a filling has too little healthy tooth left to hold onto and tends to fail. A crown covers the whole tooth, which is why it lasts. For back teeth, stainless steel is the most durable option and the one most likely to see the tooth through until it falls out naturally.
Can my child have a white crown instead?
Often, yes. I use zirconia crowns, which are white and strong, where they’re a good fit for the tooth and your child’s bite. I’ll tell you honestly where a white crown is a sound choice and where steel will serve your child better.
What is silver diamine fluoride?
A liquid painted onto a cavity to stop it from getting worse, without drilling or numbing. It’s especially useful for very young children, for children who find treatment difficult, and as a way of holding a tooth steady until your child is ready for more. It permanently stains the treated decay black, and I’ll always show you what that looks like before we decide.
What happens if a baby tooth has to come out?
If it’s a back tooth and it comes out well before the adult tooth is due, I’ll usually place a space maintainer. It’s a small appliance that holds the gap open so the neighboring teeth don’t drift into it and block the adult tooth.
Can treatment be done with laughing gas?
Yes. Nitrous oxide is available for cleanings and for treatment, and it helps a lot of children. Your child stays awake and able to respond throughout.
Do you accept insurance?
We accept United Concordia, MetLife, Cigna Total, Delta Dental PPO and Premier, and Aetna PPO. We can also file other PPO plans, though we’re out of network for those. Please confirm your plan with the office when you book.
Book a visit
Call to talk through your child’s treatment
Office hours are 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM. When you call, tell the team about your child’s needs so I can plan the visit around them.