3106 Business Park Circle, Goodlettsville, TN 37072
The living tissue inside a tooth, called the pulp, can't be seen without special tools. Located at the tooth's core, it contains nerves, tissue, and a network of blood vessels that supply vital nourishment and oxygen. Several things can harm the pulp, but in children, tooth decay or injuries are the most common causes, leading to painful pulp exposure and inflammation.
Pediatric pulp therapy has different names, such as root canal, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, and nerve treatment. The main goal is to treat, fix, and save the affected tooth.
Pediatric dentists perform this therapy on both baby teeth and permanent teeth. Even though baby teeth eventually fall out, they are important for clear speech, proper chewing, and guiding the permanent teeth into the right positions with the correct spacing.
What Are The Signs Of Pulp Injury Or Infection?
Inflamed or damaged pulp causes significant pain. Even if you can't see the problem, you'll likely notice that your child needs to see the dentist.
Here are some other signs to watch out for:
- Constant pain that doesn't go away.
- Pain that keeps your child awake at night.
- Teeth that are sensitive to hot and cold foods or drinks.
- Swelling or redness around a specific tooth.
- A tooth that suddenly feels loose or moves more than usual.
When Should A Child Undergo Pulp Therapy?
Every situation is different. The pediatric dentist will assess your child's age, where the tooth is in their mouth, and their overall health before deciding whether to take the tooth out or try to save it with pulp therapy.
Removing a tooth too early can lead to problems like:
- The space for future teeth is getting smaller.
- Permanent teeth not having enough room to come in properly if a baby tooth is lost too soon.
- The tooth in the opposite jaw growing too far into the space.
- Permanent teeth getting stuck and unable to come in (impacted).
- Other teeth shifting to fill the gap.
- The child's tongue resting in an unusual position.
How Is Pulp Therapy Performed?
First, the pediatric dentist will carefully look at the tooth and take X-rays. The amount and location of the pulp damage will determine the best treatment. While there are different options, pulpotomy and pulpectomy are common procedures for children.
Pulpotomy
If the pulp in the root of the tooth is healthy and only the pulp in the top part (crown) is affected by injury or decay, the dentist might leave the healthy part alone and just remove the damaged pulp and any decay. The empty space is then filled with a special material that helps prevent infection and calms the remaining healthy pulp. Usually, a crown is placed on the tooth afterwards to make it stronger and less likely to break.
Pulpotomy is a flexible treatment. It can be used by itself on baby teeth and growing permanent teeth, or as the first step before a full root canal.
Pulpectomy
If the entire pulp, including the pulp in the roots, is damaged due to severe decay or injury, the pediatric dentist will need to remove all of it. They will then clean the canals in the roots and fill them with a special material. This often takes more than one visit.
Generally, a material that the body will absorb over time is used for baby teeth, while a non-absorbable material is used for permanent teeth. In both cases, the final step is usually to put a crown on the tooth to make it strong and provide support. These crowns are often silver-colored stainless steel. However, at Sky Pediatric Dentistry, we also offer white, tooth-colored zirconium crowns if parents are concerned about how it looks.
If you have any questions or concerns about nerve treatment for your child's tooth,
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