Deciding if a crown is the most appropriate treatment depends on several factors: 

• age of the child

• size of the cavity

• how much of the tooth is decayed

When considering the age factor,  since most of the baby teeth in the back of a child's mouth will remain until they reach the age of 10-13, it is important to restore a decayed tooth with materials that are durable, provide good service, and not be prone to develop into additional dental problems.  A cavity in a nine-year-old might be treated with a filling, while the same cavity in a three-year-old is best handled with a crown.  The choice also depends on the likelihood of future decay in the treated tooth.  Placing a crown may be the best way to avoid re-treatment in the future.

Size of the child's cavity is an additional factor.  When a cavity becomes so large that there is not enough of the tooth left to hold the filling in place, a crown is the best option.

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