Do Kids Ever Need A Root Canal?
When children have a cavity, we offer relief with a dental filling. But what about an infection? If a child has an infected tooth, is a root canal necessary? While treatment is crucial, we may not offer the traditional root canal. Our team can actually offer a conservative alternative to traditional root canals! In today’s blog, your Dallas, TX, pediatric dentist talks about the pulpotomy procedure.
The Causes and Risks of an Infected Tooth
What causes a child’s tooth to become infected? The trouble could start when a cavity is not treated or a tooth is injured. As decay forms and remains untreated, this allows the bacteria to travel through the tooth and make contact with the inner pulp, the nerve center of the tooth. Once the tooth is infected, treatment is crucial to keep it alive and prevent the spread of infection. Otherwise, your child risks losing the tooth altogether. Symptoms of an infection include painful tooth sensitivity and toothaches, discomfort when biting down or chewing, swelling near the tooth or a discharge from it, or possibly aches in the jaw and face. Don’t ignore your child complaints, schedule a visit so we can conduct a diagnosis and see if your little one needs treatment!
The Root Canal Alternative
The pulpotomy is a less involved procedure that is perfect for little smiles. To begin, we will take detailed digital x-rays to assess the position and severity of the infection, so we can plan the procedure in detail. With dental anesthesia and sedation, we can help your little one enter a deep state of calm, often with no memory of the procedure itself. We then open the tooth to remove the infected portions of the inner tissues. Once we add a special medicated filling, this could complete the procedure. If the infection is more substantial, we may also cap the tooth with a stainless steel or more lifelike zirconia crown. This halts pain and preserves the tooth from being lost!
Protecting Little Smiles
What can be done to help kids avoid the onset of tooth decay or infection? At home, make sure they brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste for two minutes. They also need to floss before bed. You can assist younger kids and monitor your older ones. Try to cut back on sugar in their diets too. We also want to see them for cleanings every six months, and we can offer fluoride treatments and dental sealants to help prevent cavities. If you have any questions, we hope you will reach out to our team right away!
Contact Our Team Today for a Pulpotomy
When kids develop an infected tooth, we can offer relief with restorative dentistry to save the tooth. Contact Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda by calling (214) 321-4880.
filed under: Restorations for Kids