For a small cavity in a primary molar, a simple filling may be all that is necessary to repair your child’s tooth. However, in some cases, enough of the tooth may have been lost that a filling will not be enough to save the tooth. In cases like this, a pediatric stainless-steel crown is placed to maintain the tooth and to preserve its space in your child’s mouth, thus maintaining proper function until the tooth would normally be lost and replaced by a secondary tooth.  Primary front teeth can be restored with tooth-colored fillings or with stainless steel crowns that have been coated with special tooth-colored material on the outside, to improve appearance. The severity of tooth decay will determine which treatment is best.