Root Canal Treatment for Kids

If you think your child is too young to need root canal treatment, think again
There is no age limit for this treatment. If his/her primary (baby) teeth have been injured, or if decay has advanced deep into the roots of your child's teeth, a root canal treatment to stabilise teeth may be needed. Root canal treatment removes infection from the pulp, the living tissue that is found inside the tooth's roots. The pulp contains the tooth's nerves, so tooth pain is often an indication that decay has moved into the pulp.

When performing root canal procedures on children one must keep in mind that the primary teeth's root will be reabsorbed by the body . This is a normal process , on absorption of the primary teeth's root the body makes room for the permanent teeth . Injury resulting in loss of young permanent teeth can be even more troublesome, because neither tooth development, nor jaw growth is complete. If teeth are lost prematurely, a malocclusion ("mal" - bad: "occlusion" - bite) can easily result. The permanent teeth take the place of primary teeth , as the child nears the age of 6 to 7 years.
Tooth replacement techniques such as partial dentures or dental implants may not necessarily work for children since the tooth development and jaw growth are rapidly taking place. For functional and cosmetic reasons, it is best to opt for an endodontic or in layman term root canal treatment in case of young patients who are experiencing tooth decay or infection .
When a child experience tooth pain when consuming something hot or cold , or , sweet and acidic foods, in such cases it can be said that the infection may be minor and can be easily treated. However if the child experiences pain constantly or throbbing pain regardless of stimulus , it may be the indicator of an extensive infection in the pulp and the surrounding area .
In the event of a fall if a baby's teeth are injured , the teeth may develop discoloration. The discoloration may vary from yellow to dark grey. Discoloration is an indicator of injury to the pulp tissue inside the tooth's root . Dark Gray discoloration often indicates that the pulp tissues have died. In such cases root canal treatment is needed to remove the dead tissue. If a tooth is completely knocked out of the child's mouth, most dentists agree that it should not be replanted because of the risk of damage to the developing tooth underneath.
Root canal treatment for baby teeth is a better choice than tooth removal if at all possible. It helps a child retain full function of their teeth, jaws and tongue, preventing speech problems, and it helps guide the permanent teeth into their proper places.