You may not think that a root canal is something your child will ever need. And while he or she hopefully never will, there are circumstances when this treatment is necessary. At Endodontic Associates of Bayside, we are experienced in provided top-quality pediatric endodontics.
Primary (baby) teeth can become infected just as permanent teeth can. It can result from a cavity or other decay, or damage from an accident. Some people don’t bother overmuch about trouble with primary teeth, reasoning that they fall out anyway. But primary teeth are incredibly important. They act as placeholders to guide permanent teeth into place. Without them, permanent teeth can grow in crookedly and the mouth can become crowded. Also, if a primary tooth is lost early, children can have speaking and eating trouble. In addition, untreated infection can spread to the jaw bone and other tissues.
Typically, we use one of two treatments on children with compromised tooth pulp: apexogenesis and apexification. These are similar treatments that remove infected pulp from the tooth. Apexogenesis involves the removal of pulp only from the crown, or upper part of the tooth. Apexification removes pulp from the whole tooth, including the root.
It is better to let a primary tooth complete its normal cycle, if possible. Our endodontic treatment for children can help heal a tooth that has become infected from decay or damage. If you would like to know more about how we can help your child, call our Bayside, NY, office today.