When you become a parent, especially for the first time, you can run into many scenarios that you might not have thought about before or know much about. For example, when your child has a bad toothache, you take them to your pediatric dentist to identify the problem. They may say your little one has a cavity and needs root canal treatment or pulp therapy.
Maybe you are not familiar with this issue or what the procedure looks like for kids, and there’s a lot of misinformation out there. So here are four truths you need to know about pulp therapy for kids.
Root Canals Can Be Performed on Baby Teeth.
When you think about root canal treatment, you may imagine working on a permanent tooth with long, deep roots. However, this procedure can be necessary for baby teeth as well, even though they are smaller and shallower in their root structure.
Although it’s called pulp therapy, the process is basically the same for tiny primary teeth. The nerve, which is in the center of the tooth, is removed, and the inner chamber is cleaned and sealed to prevent future decay.
Your Child’s Teeth Are Worth Saving.
Many parents underestimate the importance of taking care of their children’s teeth early in life. Baby teeth, in particular, are often overlooked because they come out to make room for permanent teeth. But the truth is that these initial chompers are just as valuable as their adult counterparts.
Baby teeth do naturally fall out, but without them, your child wouldn’t be able to eat efficiently. When they are extracted prematurely, your child can struggle to get adequate nutrition as their ability to bite and chew food becomes somewhat impaired. Also, primary teeth help adult ones line up properly while they are still developing, meaning that early baby tooth loss could increase misaligned dentition later on.
In other words, preserving baby teeth could help your child’s smile in the future!
Root Canal Treatment or Pulp Therapy Doesn’t Hurt.
In spite of its bad reputation in the past, root canal treatment or pulp therapy does not typically cause pain. Overall, these treatments usually involve the same amount of discomfort as getting a cavity filled—practically none with local anesthetic! Innovations in dentistry have also improved these procedures. In fact, laser therapy means that more tooth structure is preserved and your child experiences less pain.
A Dental Crown Will Be Necessary Afterward.
Except in rare cases, a tooth that undergoes root canal treatment or pulp therapy requires a dental crown to protect it and restore its function. On certain teeth, such as baby molars, the crown may be metal or porcelain depending on the child’s needs.
If your kid needs to have pulp therapy or root canal treatment, it may still be a new experience, but you can at least be a little more prepared and knowledgeable, giving you confidence to make good choices as a parent.
About the Practice
At Wash Park Pediatric Dentistry, children of all abilities are welcome. With two board-certified pediatric dentists on staff, we are highly trained to help young patients, even those with special needs, have a better dental experience for every visit. To learn more about root canal treatment or pulp therapy, you can contact our Denver office online or call 720-647-6310 to make an appointment.