Pediatric Root Canal Treatment for Kids
At Kid Grins in Edina, MN, Dr. Mitchell Loeb and his team provide advanced dentistry for kids, including pediatric root canal treatment. Baby teeth have smaller, more flexible roots than adult teeth, which makes for easier treatment that can ultimately save your child’s oral health and quickly relieve their discomfort.
Signs Your Child May Need Pediatric Root Canal Treatment
Dental problems can present similarly so it is important for your child to be seen by your pediatric dentist right away if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- A bump on the gums, which could indicate abscess
- Tooth discoloration
- Gum swelling near a painful tooth
- Pain and sensitivity to foods, biting, and chewing
- Consistent toothache
- Nighttime mouth and tooth pain.
What Is a Pediatric Root Canal
When a child experiences extreme tooth pain or suffers from a dental infection, a root canal can preserve their developing smile. Pediatric root canal treatment provides a child with pain relief, rescues a tooth, and helps prevent further dental problems. Here is how the pediatric root canal treatment works for kids:
- Addresses a severely damaged or infected baby tooth.
- Involves the removal of infected tooth pulp.
- Includes disinfection and sealing of root canals to prevent infection.
- A porcelain crown is bonded in place to protect the treated tooth.
- Faster and less invasive than adult root canal therapy.
Reasons a Child Needs a Pediatric Root Canal
Here is what you need to know about the importance of root canal therapy for kids:
- If infection has reached the pulp or tooth nerve, your child will experience intense discomfort as well as swelling or abscess.
- Tooth decay left untreated, even in a baby tooth, will deepen over time and reach the central tissues of the tooth, leading to persistent sensitivity.
- Falls or accidents, common among children, can lead to dental trauma like chips or cracks that damage a tooth all the way through.
Root Canal Treatment for a Baby Tooth
Why would a child need a root canal in a baby tooth? Can’t the tooth be extracted if it’s going to fall out anyway? Preserving a baby tooth with root canal treatment instead of extraction can help prevent the following complications:
- Misalignment of permanent teeth
- Difficulty chewing
- Compromised speech
- Crowding of teeth due to space loss
If your child has lost all their baby teeth and is suffering with an infected, painful adult tooth, getting root canal treatment will save them from pain and keep their newly erupted adult teeth where they belong. We only get one set of permanent teeth, and your pediatric dentist wants your child to avoid extraction at all costs.
Possible Root Canal Alternatives for Kids
Your pediatric dentist understands that you want the least-invasive treatment necessary for your child when it comes to a problematic tooth. After he conducts a dental exam and takes x-rays, you can discuss available options, which might include:
- Tooth extraction. The problem tooth is removed, but it may lead to misalignment, especially if the adult tooth is nowhere near erupting.
- Space maintainer. A spacer can be put in place to keep neighboring teeth where they belong until all adult teeth have erupted.
- Root canal treatment. Sometimes, there is no other option. Listen to the advice of your pediatric dentist. They will recommend what is best for the situation.
Get Emergency Root Canal Treatment in Edina
If your child shows any signs of a dental infection that may require root canal treatment, contact Dr. Loeb and his team at Kid Grins immediately. We are here to help all our patients establish a strong foundation of oral health that will last for a lifetime. Acting early when your child is struggling with a tooth problem can stop the spread of infection, prevent damage to developing teeth, and minimize treatment costs.
