Do Baby Teeth Need Fillings? What Toronto Parents Should Know
Short answer: yes, in most cases. If your child has a cavity in a baby tooth, it usually needs treatment. Many parents hear "it's just a baby tooth, it will fall out anyway" and decide to wait. That is the one choice we would ask you to think twice about.
Some baby teeth stay in the mouth until age 12. A cavity that sits for years has plenty of time to cause pain, swelling, and trouble for the adult tooth underneath.
Why baby teeth matter more than you think
Baby teeth are not throwaway teeth. They do real work while your child grows.
They help your child chew properly and get good nutrition.
They guide speech development, especially sounds like "s", "th" and "f".
They hold space for the permanent teeth so the adult teeth come in straight.
They protect the adult tooth buds sitting just under the gums.
Tooth enamel on baby teeth is also thinner than on adult teeth. Decay moves through it faster, so a small cavity can reach the nerve in months, not years.
What happens if a cavity in a baby tooth is left alone
An untreated cavity does not stay small. It grows deeper, and a child often cannot tell you what is wrong. They just stop eating on one side or get cranky at bedtime.
Left alone, decay can lead to:
Toothache that disturbs sleep, eating, and school.
Infection and abscess, which can cause facial swelling and fever.
Early loss of the tooth, which lets neighbouring teeth drift and crowd the space.
Damage to the permanent tooth growing underneath.
The same process happens in adults, as we explain in what happens if you leave a cavity untreated. The difference is that children get there faster and have a harder time telling us about it.
When a baby tooth does and does not need a filling
Not every spot needs drilling. Your dentist looks at how deep the decay is, how old your child is, and how long the tooth has left before it falls out naturally.
Situation | Typical treatment | Why |
Small cavity, tooth still has years left | Filling | Stops decay early and keeps the tooth working |
Deep cavity close to the nerve | Pulpotomy or stainless steel crown | Protects the tooth and removes infected tissue |
Early white spot, no hole yet | Fluoride and better brushing | Early decay can sometimes be reversed |
Abscess or tooth too damaged | Extraction, sometimes a space maintainer | Removes infection and holds space for the adult tooth |
Very early decay, a chalky white spot on the enamel, can sometimes be reversed with fluoride and better brushing. That is why regular checkups matter. Catching decay at that stage can mean no filling at all.
What getting a filling is like for a child
Most parents worry about this part more than the child does. A baby tooth filling is usually quick.
The dentist numbs the area with a local anaesthetic. A numbing gel goes on first so the freezing is barely felt.
The decayed part of the tooth is cleaned out.
A tooth-coloured filling material is placed and hardened with a light.
Your child may feel numb for an hour or two. Keep them from chewing their cheek or lip until it wears off.
Most fillings take about 20 to 30 minutes. We explain each step in simple words, and we go at the child's pace. If your child is very nervous, our tips in how to help a child who is afraid of the dentist can help you prepare at home.
What it costs in Toronto
Fees vary by clinic and by how large the cavity is. Under the Ontario fee guide, a filling in a baby tooth commonly runs about $100 to $250 per tooth, and a stainless steel crown costs more. Many families have coverage through workplace benefits or the Canadian Dental Care Plan, so ask us to check your coverage before the visit. A filling now is almost always cheaper than treating an abscess later.
How to prevent cavities in baby teeth
Brush twice a day with a rice-grain smear of fluoride toothpaste for children under 3, and a pea-sized amount from age 3.
Help your child brush until they can tie their own shoelaces, usually around age 7 or 8.
Limit juice and sticky snacks, and never put a child to bed with a bottle of anything but water. See our guide on baby bottle tooth decay.
Ask about sealants on the back molars once they come in. We cover timing and cost in dental sealants for kids in Toronto.
Book a first visit by age one, or within six months of the first tooth. Our post on when kids should first see the dentist explains what to expect.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cavity in a baby tooth go away on its own?
No. Once decay has made a hole in the enamel, it will not heal by itself. A very early white spot can sometimes be reversed with fluoride, but only a dentist can tell the difference.
What if the baby tooth is about to fall out?
If the tooth is loose and due to fall out within a few months, your dentist may simply monitor it. If your child is in pain or there is an infection, it still needs attention.
Is it safe to freeze a young child's tooth?
Yes. Dentists use child-appropriate doses of local anaesthetic every day. We calculate the amount by your child's weight and keep the visit short.
Do baby teeth need a root canal?
Sometimes a modified version, called a pulpotomy, is done when decay reaches the nerve. It saves the tooth until it falls out naturally and is usually followed by a stainless steel crown.
Worried about a spot on your child's tooth? Book your child's dental visit with Lornview Dental.
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