When Do Children Need A Root Canal?
When a child has a toothache and we discover a cavity, we can offer care in one visit with a filling. But what if the discomfort is more severe, and we find a dental infection? Your little one may need more than just a filling. In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about the pulpotomy, our root canal alternative for kids.
Kids and Dental Infections
Dental infection means that harmful oral bacteria has moved through the tooth structure and made contact with the inner pulp, the living tissues at the center of our teeth. This could be due to an untreated cavity or even as the result of an injury to the tooth. The tooth becomes infected and your child could experience more severe symptoms, such as sensitivity, toothaches, pain when eating, swelling, or even aches in the face or jaw. Treatment is crucial for avoiding tooth loss and worsening discomfort. When your little one complains about acing teeth, please see us right away for a diagnosis and to discuss possible solutions, such as a pulpotomy.
Ensuring Your Child’s Comfort
We know the idea of a restorative procedure can be a source of anxiety for some kids, but we strive to make sure their experience is a comfortable and positive one. Our team can administer a local anesthetic to the area being treated to prevent discomfort, and we also have sedation options to help kids enter a deep state of calm and relaxation during the procedure, even if they have special needs or high anxiety levels. When kids leave, we want them to look forward to seeing our team again, and to better understand their smile too.
The Root Canal Alternative
When we examine your child’s smile and discover an infection, the digital x-rays we take will enable us to plan treatment with detail and precision. Once the tooth is properly numbed, we will open it to remove a portion of the inner tissues. We then add a medicated filling to the interior of the tooth. For some, that completes the procedure. But for others, we may need to cap the tooth with a dental crown, stainless steel for the side and rear teeth and a more lifelike NuSmile zirconia for the front facing ones.
If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat issues like dental infection, or about the pulpotomy process itself, then contact our team today to learn more. Remember, if your kid attends checkups and cleanings every few months, then we can likely uncover these issues in the early stages, treating them before discomfort arises!
Do You Have Questions About Stopping Dental Infections?
Don’t let an aching tooth lead to a lost tooth. To learn more about how our pulpotomy procedures, then please contact your Dallas, TX pediatric dentist, Dr. Marr, by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Restorations for Kids