A crown may be needed if your child’s tooth is decayed or broken to the degree that there is a small amount of the tooth remaining or if your child is at high risk for future tooth decay. This type of damage can be caused by decay, trauma, or poor development. Crowns, also known as caps, slide over teeth to protect the remaining tooth structure from future decay. Crowns will help your child to chew food properly, allow normal speech development, and assist with guiding other teeth into position.