Your kids can get tooth decay. Mild tooth decay may need to be filled with severe decay requiring a root canal, or a crown. It is imperative that you schedule a dental appointment with your Kids Dentist in Chicago when the first tooth erupts, usually at around six months.
Fillings are used to repair decayed or broken tooth. Common materials used include alloy, metal, porcelain, plastic, or a combination of materials. If you have toddler that has a cavity in a front tooth, your dentist will use a tooth colored resin.
Root canals are not just for adults. According to Colgate, kids may require a root canal if the cavity is too big and a filling isn’t enough to repair the damage. Root canal therapy is safe and effective, and may be necessary, even in baby teeth.
Your dentist explains that primary teeth are lost between six and twelve years of age, but if there is an infection or trauma, a root canal may be required.
Baby teeth function just like adult teeth. Missing teeth can cause problems regardless of how old your child is and can affect eating and talking.
Primary teeth serve as a guide when it comes to the proper placement of permanent teeth. If baby teeth are missing and lost before their time, primary teeth could become crowded or crooked. Without adequate space, adult teeth may be tilted or cause bite problems, which could lead to orthodontic treatment once your son or daughter gets older.
Because the inside of the tooth, or the pulp, is loaded with nerves and blood vessels problems could develop including pain and sensitivity. If the pulp is dying or diseased, root canal therapy may be needed before infection or a dangerous abscess develops.
Your Pediatric Dentist may use indirect pulp therapy by applying an antibiotic to the decay before sealing the damaged tooth. A pulpotomy may also be used to remove the damaged pulp while stabilizing the healthy portion of the pulp. Also called a partial root canal this treatment has been proven successful in many cases.
Of course, the only way to determine if your son or daughter requires a filling or a root canal is to schedule an appointment with your Pediatric Dentist.
