Cosmetic surgeries for kids and teens has been on the rise in the last decade. Parents are willing to shell out the big bucks when their children's ears stick out, or their daughters want nose jobs and breast augmentation. This trend has recently moved into family and cosmetic dentistry, where kids are getting various cosmetic dental procedures, but is it really necessary? Here are some sound arguments for and against cosmetic dentistry in kids.

Pro: Medically Necessary

Kids fall down a lot. They get themselves into situations where accidents are imminent, and teeth may be damaged or torn from the tooth sockets. These are times when cosmetic dentistry for kids is medically necessary. Emergency situations like this require that the teeth be restored as quickly as possible so that there is no further tooth loss. This is, inarguably, a very good "pro" excuse for cosmetic dental work in children, since it serves to preserve a child's teeth and mouth.

Con: Children Will Have Other Teeth

If a child is young enough when he or she has an accident that pulls or knocks some teeth out, he or she could just wait until the adult teeth grow in. It depends on the age of the child and whether or not the dentist feels that there would be repercussions from not reinserting the teeth into their sockets. On the one hand, an eight-year-old will get adult teeth soon enough. On the other hand, that same eight-year-old could have several issues with teeth sliding into the wrong position because of the missing teeth. Dentists who do cosmetic dentistry on children have to make this call on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, installing implants is only done if the teeth lost were adult teeth and they could not be reinserted on time.

Pro: Children Would Be Less Self-Conscious

Everyone knows that other children can be cruel. That said, if your child is really self-conscious about teeth that are an ugly color (dark yellow to brown or rotten black), it is worth the expense to treat these discolored teeth. The dentist can help you get to the literal root of the problem teeth, find out why they are the color they are, and then either whiten them or crown them. A fixed smile makes your child feel better, and puts the bullies in their place.

Con: Not All Dental Insurance Will Cover Cosmetic Procedures for Children

Even in situations where it is deemed medically necessary, dental insurance companies will not cover your children's "cosmetic" procedures. That may make it very difficult to help your child. Talk to your family and cosmetic dentist, like Adams Dental Center, to see what you can do in this situation.