If your child has just had a silver cap fitted — or a dentist has recommended one — the first question most parents ask is the same: how long will it last?
The short answer: a silver cap (properly called a stainless steel crown) is designed to last until the baby tooth underneath falls out on its own. For most children that means several years of service, with the cap coming out naturally with the tooth — no second procedure needed.
If a cap has been recommended for your child, we're happy to talk it through with you.
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Why silver caps last so long
A silver cap covers the whole tooth, not just the damaged part. That's the key difference from a filling. On a baby molar with a large cavity, a filling has to hold onto what's left of the tooth — and baby teeth are smaller and softer than adult teeth, so big fillings on them can chip, leak or fall out and need redoing. A crown wraps the entire tooth in one smooth, sealed layer, so there's nowhere for decay to sneak back in around the edges.
That's why, for larger cavities in baby molars, a silver cap is often the more durable and more comfortable choice: one visit, one solution, and in many cases it's placed using the Hall technique — often with no drilling and no needle at all.
When does it come out?
Baby molars typically fall out somewhere between ages 10 and 12, and the cap simply comes out with the tooth, making way for the adult tooth underneath. The adult tooth is not affected by the crown sitting above it.
Not sure whether a cap or a filling suits your child's tooth? Ask us.
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Caring for a silver cap
A capped tooth is brushed and flossed exactly like a natural one, twice a day, and it still needs flossing on both sides. The crown itself cannot decay, but the tooth and the gum right at the edge of it can, so the margin where the metal meets the gum is the part that matters most.
Very sticky foods — chewy lollies, toffee, muesli bars that pull — are the ones most likely to lift a crown, so they are worth limiting. If a cap ever feels loose or comes off altogether, keep it if you can and have the tooth looked at promptly: the tooth underneath was capped because it was already weakened, and it is vulnerable while it is uncovered.
Otherwise nothing changes. The crown is designed to stay put until the baby tooth loosens on its own, and it comes away with the tooth when it does. Routine check-ups are when the margin and the gum around the cap get checked.
Is the silver colour a problem?
Silver caps are usually placed on back teeth, where they're barely visible when your child talks or smiles. Most kids are completely unbothered — plenty are proud of their "robot tooth" or "princess tooth". For front teeth, we'd talk through the options with you, because appearance matters more there.
The cost part
For eligible children, stainless steel crowns at Berala Dental are bulk-billed under the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) — Medicare pays the clinic directly for covered services, so there's no out-of-pocket cost. You can check your child's CDBS eligibility here.
If a cap has come loose, or you'd like your child's tooth looked at, here's how to reach us.
Call (02) 9649 6468 · Book online · WhatsApp
Want the full picture on how these crowns work? See our stainless steel crowns page, or read why baby teeth matter for adult teeth. English, Arabic and Urdu are spoken at our clinic, and we look after families from Berala, Auburn, Lidcombe and across Sydney's Inner West.
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for personalised dental advice. Please see a dentist to discuss what's right for your child.
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