Essentially these dental tools are materials that are applied to the chewing surfaces of a child’s teeth and they can help form an artificial barrier between foods, especially acidic foods, and your child’s teeth. They are essential in helping to prevent teeth decay in children for whom that is a concern. Utilizing sealants can help keep your child happy, healthy, and pain-free especially if developing cavities runs in your family. A crown is just that – it is a cap made from either dental porcelain or metal that covers a tooth that may have had a chip or had a significant cavity in it.  Crowns are often used over teeth that have had root canals performed on them. You might think that having a crown on a milk tooth is unnecessary, but it really isn’t.  Though that tooth won’t be around for long, the adult tooth in the jaw below will be, and caring for the milk tooth will ensure that it stays healthy and no infection will start that could potentially spread. Fillings come in two styles – amalgam and composite.  The amalgam is a mix of metals that are often stronger than the composite resin materials, so they are better suited for bite surfaces or larger cavities.  Composite resins can be matched to the color of the teeth so they blend in better and are often used on lower teeth as a result. Both provide protection for the tooth from any further damage caused by tooth decay.