Adults are not the only ones who sometimes require root canal treatment. Today more than ever before children of all ages are benefiting from root canal therapy. Endodontic care or root canal is a unique and innovative way of saving a tooth that has become injured or diseased. The process is simple and only requires the removal of the tooth pulp or inner portion of the tooth where nerves and blood vessels reside. The main goal and objective of root canal therapy for kids is to preserve a baby tooth so that it can maintain proper spacing thus allowing for normal eruption of adult teeth. Saving a baby tooth is important to proper long-term dental development in children. Keep in mind that the early loss of baby teeth can result in problems in speech development, chewing and proper alignment of eventual adult teeth.

Ensure That a Baby Tooth is Preserved

Anytime there is a gap caused by a missing baby tooth, there is the risk that permanent teeth may emerge crooked or misaligned. When this happens, children may end up requiring braces or other types of dental treatment later on in life. One of the easiest ways to avoid this type of problem is to simply ensure that a baby tooth is preserved using root canal treatment. In the event that the tooth cannot be saved with root canal than space maintainers are often used as a way to produce the same results. Either way, it is absolutely essential to allow permanent teeth to erupt in a normal and straight manner. Root canal for children is most effective when a tooth has been damaged due to trauma or disease. A deep cavity is an example of a situation where a tooth requires root canal.

Keeping a Baby Tooth in Place

Because the tooth is filled with blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue, this portion of the tooth can be removed and replaced with an inert material. This is known as root canal and is highly effective at keeping a baby tooth in place until it falls out naturally. A pediatric endodontist will typically perform this type of procedure for young children. It is a highly effective, reliable, safe and successful type of procedure that is done each and every day for children of all ages. Working closely with your dental care provider is the best way to make sure that your children enjoy the best possible dental health as they move into adolescence and eventually adulthood. Contact your Elk Grove dentist, Dr. My Huynh at Laguna Park Dentistry today for more information about root canal therapy for kids.

References:
[1] How Long Does a Root Canal Procedure Take?
[2] Root Canal Therapy and What It Means To You