Although root canal therapy offered by our endodontist at Jamaica Dental PC is usually associated with adult patients, you may be surprised to learn that our practice treats children, too. Since a child’s baby teeth eventually will fall out, why would a tooth-saving treatment like root canal be necessary? Well, there are a variety of reasons that it’s important to save those baby teeth until their full maturity.
A child’s first set of teeth have an important role to play in their development. As the placeholders for the permanent teeth that follow, baby teeth also help a child learn to chew food correctly and with speech development. If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, it may hinder the child’s progress in those areas, as well as creating space for other teeth to move in.
The child’s age and other factors can make the extraction of a painful tooth the preferred choice, but a root canal procedure may be necessary in cases when there has been an injury or if there is significant tooth decay.
Some signs for parents to look out for include sensitivity to hot or cold food and beverages, sharp or intense pain, a persistent ache, and soreness around the child’s gums. In some cases, fever or tenderness of the lymph nodes may be present.
Our endodontist ensures that our younger patients are kept comfortable during our treatment through the most up-to-date pain relieving methods as we clean the infected area and fill in the tooth. This is the same safe and effective treatment we provide to adults. Although there may be lingering soreness after our treatment, recovery time is usually brief.
Our endodontist at Jamaica Dental PC has the expertise, diagnostic equipment and techniques to treat patients of all ages. If you have any questions about your child’s oral health, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
By Jamaica Dental PC
June 26, 2023