Conservative Treatment For Childhood Infections

Posted July 14, 2021

When your child has tooth decay, then we may create a metal-free and lifelike filling to offer relief. But what if your child has an infected tooth? To prevent pain and tooth loss, we may recommend a root canal alternative that is perfect for kids. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about our pulpotomy treatment.

Warning Signs of an Infected Tooth

Children’s teeth need routine care to avoid plaque and tartar buildup, as this buildup could weaken enamel and make tooth decay form. In addition, playing sports or martial arts and not wearing a mouthguard could mean a tooth is cracked or chipped when injuries occur. Eroded or damaged enamel leads to tooth decay, and unless stated, an infection could arise. Kids with an infected tooth may report tooth sensitivity when they eat or drink, toothaches, pain when biting down or chewing, or swelling near the tooth. If your little one complains about pain in his or her tooth, let us know right away.

The Dangers of Premature Tooth Loss

When a tooth is infected, treatment is absolutely crucial. Otherwise, the tooth could die and either require extraction to prevent the spread of infection, or simply become lost. Losing a baby tooth early could then lead to complications with the eruption and position of the permanent teeth, making misalignment more likely.

Pulpotomy

If your child has an infected tooth, we will find out by thoroughly examining the tooth with advanced digital imaging technology. Next, we perform a pulpotomy. We start by administering a local anesthesia and sedation to help your child remain calm. Next, we open the tooth and remove the infected portions of the pulp, instead of the entire pulp as we could with a root canal. A medicated filling material is added to the tooth, and we cap it with either a stainless-steel crown or a lifelike zirconia one.

Safeguarding Smiles Moving Forward

Your child enjoys instant relief, and with six month visits we can watch out for future cases of tooth decay. When we uncover one, we will treat it early with a filling to avoid an infection altogether. Our team will also educate kids and parents on better homecare habits to help prevent demineralization and tooth decay. If you have any questions about how we approach treating a tooth with cavities or infection, then please contact our team to learn more. We want to help kids of all ages in our community!

Talk To Your Dallas, TX Pediatrician About Root Canal Therapy

At our Dallas, TX pediatric dentist’s office wants to help you find the perfect solution for your child’s infarcted tooth. To find out more about treating advanced tooth decay and infected teeth, please contact your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist by calling (214) 321-4880.