Root Canals for Children

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Root Canals for Children

Little Girl at the dentist

Tooth decay is a serious issue for everyone, but it can be most serious for children. Teeth are still developing during younger years, and any decay can quickly hit nerves and cause major damage.

As a leading children’s dentist in Utah, we at Walker Pediatric Dentistry are dedicated to preventing decay at its first sign. In many cases this requires what’s called pulp therapy, and one of the most well-known processes within pulp therapy is the root canal. What might cause your child to need a root canal, and how will it work? Let’s find out.

Why a Root Canal?

Infected tooth pulp is the source of many forms of tooth decay, and it’s the primary reason for many root canals. The pulp is the soft center of the tooth connected to nerve endings, and there are times where it can become infected and turn into a haven for bacteria. Some other causes of root canals may include:

  • Repeated treatments on the same tooth
  • Chipped or broken teeth
  • Swelling near tooth
  • Trauma to tooth area
  • Extreme sensitivity to temperature which doesn’t respond to other treatments

Root Canal Process

If your child needs a root canal, there will be a few basic steps:

  • X-ray: This is to locate the issues and let our pediatric dentists find the problem
  • Anesthesia: Usually local anesthesia, though it may be different in some cases
  • Pulpectomy: This is when the tooth is opened, and the infected pulp is removed
  • Filling: Open roots are filled and sealed, and a crown is placed over top to protect the exposed area

Care After Procedure

Care after a root canal is pretty basic, even for children. They may experience some brief pain, but it shouldn’t last long. You should always be encouraging good dental hygiene practices in your children, and these are perhaps even more important right after a root canal to help keep harmful bacteria away from a recovering area. Your children’s dentist may recommend not letting them chew on anything hard for a while. You’ll definitely want to schedule at least one follow-up appointment to make sure the fixed tooth is in good shape, and perhaps more than one if there are any issues.

Interested in learning more about root canals or any other part of our pediatric dentistry services? Speak to the experts at Walker Pediatric Dentistry today.