Do Children Ever Need Root Canal Therapy?

Posted January 4, 2021

When kids develop tooth decay, we often address the issue quickly with natural-looking dental fillings. But what if a child develops an infected or abscessed tooth? Will your child need to undergo a root canal treatment? In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist discusses the benefits of a pulpotomy, a conservative alternative to root canal therapy.

The Causes of Dental Infection

An infection is a much more severe oral health concern than a cavity, and one that could cause a tooth to require extraction to prevent the spread of infection to other parts of the smile. That premature loss of a tooth could in turn increase the risk of misalignment. The problem often starts with tooth decay, or as a result of an injury that breaks or fractures a tooth. These factors mean decay forms in the tooth that will continue to grow and spread with time, until bacteria make contact with the inner pulp, the tooth’s nerve center. Serious discomfort then develops, and the tooth becomes infected or may develop an abscess.

Warning Signs

If your child attends routine checkup and cleaning visits every six months, then we will likely identify the problem in the very early stages of demineralization, before your tooth experience discomfort or a cavity even forms. Otherwise, you may not be aware that your child needs treatment until he or she complains about discomfort. Tooth sensitivity or toothaches could develop that don’t pass with time, and instead seem to grow more severe. If your child tells you about such discomfort, be sure to contact our team and schedule a visit right away.

The Pulpotomy Procedure

We want to save the tooth, and also offer a more conservative treatment option than a traditional root canal procedure. We start by numbing the area around the tooth in question with a local anesthetic, and for anxious children we may also provide dental sedation. We then gently remove the portions of the pulp that have become infected, and place a medicated filling material. We then add a filling to restore the outer structure. In a single visit, this returns the tooth to optimal health, function, and beauty. From there, we can discuss options to help safeguard their smile against further cases of decay or infection! If you have any questions about our restorative treatments for little ones, then contact our team today.

Does Your Child Have a Toothache?

Our team wants to help your kids enjoy optimal oral health for years to come. To learn more about our approach to children’s dentistry,  by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.