Root Canal Therapy For Milk Teeth Or Extracting Them

If your children dentist has suggested root canal therapy or endodontic therapy, you may be asked why. Since your baby’s milk teeth eventually fall off, you may be wondering what the reason for keeping a milk tooth that will fall off soon. In general, root canal therapy is a way to keep a tooth with bacterial infection or inflammation by removing the infected pulp (nerve) in the center of the tooth.

In fact, keeping a baby’s milk teeth are as important as adult’s permanent teeth and may require an emergency dentist for kids. The earlier loss of baby’s milk teeth can interfere with chewing and speaking.

 The Reason for Root Canal Therapy for Milk Teeth

Each baby’s milk tooth holds a space for the permanent teeth that appear behind it. If a milk tooth falls off early, it will affect the growth of the permanent tooth. Endodontic therapy may also be recommended for a permanent tooth with damaged pulp.

 Symptoms and Diagnosis

The pediatric dentist provides root canal therapy for children’s milk teeth. At the initial clinical examination, the pediatric dentist reviews the child’s complete medical history because systemic and general disease may require special treatment. S/he will also evaluate the pain. If the pain occurs in response to stimulants such as hot or cold foods, sweet and acidic foods, and drinks, there are many possible causes that all do not require root canal treatment. But spontaneous, constant, and mild pain usually indicates extensive damaging to the pulp. The infection can get out of the root and spread to the adjacent jawbone, which may cause a tooth abscess and cause secondary pain. The pediatric dentist provides an X-ray diagnostic image in the dentist office to see what is inside the tooth and below the tooth.

Endodontic Therapy for Milk Teeth

Endodontic or root canal therapy are usually performed in the emergency dental clinic and under local anesthesia. The affected tooth will be completely anesthetized during this process. Before performing root canal treatment, the emergency dentist will place a plastic barrier around the tooth and separate it from the rest of the mouth to prevent contamination of other teeth. Then, he will use a miniature drill to make a small hole in the tooth to access the pulp. Using tiny tools, s/he removes all the infected pulp tissue from the entire length of the root canal (s) and cleans it with a disinfectant and antibacterial solution. The final step is to close the hole created to access the channel (s). When the pulp is removed, and the disinfected space is sterilized and filled, a crown is applied to prevent further damaging to the tooth. The filler is body compatible so that the body can absorb it.

Teeth Protection and Having a Beautiful Smile

It is better to teach children dental protection to prevent pulp injury. This is done through having dental and oral hygiene, regular visits to the emergency dentist for kids, and the use of a dental protector during exercise.