Everything You Need To Know About Root Canals For Children

Root Canal Treatment, or a pulpotomy, is an endodontic procedure performed by a dentist to save a tooth that is damaged by decay or trauma. While many of us understand how this treatment benefits adults, it may seem confusing when Root Canal Treatment is recommended for a child. After all, don’t children eventually lose their baby (primary) teeth anyway? Although young kids will lose their baby teeth, there are often consequences if a tooth comes out prematurely due to decay. Find out why root canals are performed on children, and how you can prepare yourself and your child for the procedure.

Saving the Tooth is Always Best

There are many reasons why it is best to save a child’s baby tooth with a root canal procedure rather than extracting the damaged or infected tooth. For one, primary teeth are important for chewing and speaking. Baby teeth also hold spaces for the permanent teeth that replace them. Without primary teeth to guide them, the permanent teeth may erupt crooked due to neighboring teeth crowding the empty space. This can result in bite issues that may require orthodontic treatment later in life.

What to Expect

Root canal treatment for a child may be recommended if your child is experiencing tooth pain, has sensitivity to different temperatures, or if a tooth is severely decayed or fractured and the pulp tissue is already exposed. When this happens, the pulp becomes damaged beyond surface repair. Children of all ages can benefit from root canal treatment. It is important that the diseased pulp tissue is removed as soon as it is detected to prevent the further spread of infection, and to save the tooth. The pulp is the living tissue found inside the tooth’s roots. In adults, root canal treatment removes the entire pulp tissue. In baby teeth, however, only the infected portion of the nerve is removed. For this reason, root canal treatment performed on a child is faster, less painful and less invasive. The remaining healthy nerve tissue is preserved, and a baby crown is placed on the child’s tooth to protect it. This strengthens the tooth and allows it to function normally until the succeeding permanent tooth erupts and takes its place.

Preparing For Your Child’s Root Canal Procedure.

While root canal treatment can seem scary at any age, it is important that you help your child feel comfortable and relaxed going into the procedure. Talk to your child positively about the treatment, and explain the many benefits of repairing his/her damaged tooth. Your child’s dentist will be able to provide pain management methods during and following the procedure to help your child recover quickly and comfortably.

Bottom line:Root canal treatment for primary teeth is a better choice than tooth removal. It helps a child retain full function of their teeth, prevents speech and chewing problems, and helps guide the permanent teeth into their proper positions. Treating your child’s diseased baby tooth now will save them from further tooth pain, and potentially a lot more dental work later.

Author bio: Darla Scheidt is Marketing Director for Grove Dental Associates, a successful multi-office group dental practice in the western suburbs of Chicago. With four offices, more than 30 doctors and over 40 years of experience, Grove Dental stays on the cutting edge of dentistry to better serve patients.

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