New Holland Family Dentist Says Root Canals on Baby Teeth Helpful

Why would it be necessary for a 5-year-old child to need to have a root canal and crown on a baby tooth? It might be difficult to imagine that these “temporary” teeth could require such extensive dental work, especially when you consider the fact that they will eventually fall out and be replaced by the adult teeth.

When a baby tooth is found to have deep decay, your family dentist in New Holland will help you to put your child’s oral health into the proper perspective. There are times when it is acceptable to remove or extract an infected baby tooth, and there are times when the tooth should be saved in order to prevent future problems.

Just like mature adult teeth, baby teeth are susceptible to cavities. Ideally, we’d like to take the appropriate steps for preventing this form of dental disease, and that includes a healthy diet and thorough oral hygiene. Still, cavities can crop up, and when those cavities penetrate through the outer surface of the teeth into the nerve chamber, a painful infection can occur.

To eliminate infection from your little one’s body, you may be tempted to have the offending tooth removed, but speeding the process of tooth loss is not always a smart choice. The baby teeth need to remain in place until the underlying permanent teeth are prepared to make their entrance. Without guidance from the baby teeth, there is a significant risk of future crowding and other serious developmental problems.

To eliminate the infection and pain while preserving the baby tooth until the appropriate time (which could be as late as age 12 or 13), the best option might be the same treatment that would be recommended for a permanent tooth: a root canal and a crown. These procedures are frequently recommended for saving a baby tooth that will be essential to your child’s oral health for several more years.

Don’t ignore or dismiss a bad baby tooth. Instead, get to a New Holland dental office today for professional advice.