Is the Baby Root Canal Procedure Safe?

The term "baby root canal" refers to a pediatric dentistry procedure that achieves the same goal as a traditional, adult root canal. This procedure is often required in order to save a tooth from being lost completely, which can be detrimental to one's oral health. Children need all of their baby teeth in order to eat and speak correctly. Additionally, the baby teeth are needed as they lay the foundation for the adult teeth. Because of this, pediatric dentists often recommend a baby root canal.

How safe is a baby root canal?

Below is a quick overview of baby root canals, including what they are and how safe the procedure is.

Defining baby root canals

A baby root canal is a procedure that removes infected pulp from a tooth. Pediatric dentists recommend the procedure when a tooth is severely infected. Outlined below are the steps of the procedure, which can be helpful to review when preparing a child for the appointment:

The child is numbed and may also be sedated with nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas. Numbing agents ensure that no pain is felt during the procedure. Effects usually wear off after a couple of hours
Once the child is comfortable, the pediatric dentist can start removing the infected pulp using a dental drill. This part of the procedure does cause discomfort, which is why the numbing agents are administered
After the infected pulp has been removed, the interior of the tooth is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
A restorative material is then used to fill the empty cavity.
A dental crown is placed over the natural tooth to ensure protection and prevention of future damage

Traditional root canal procedures require a temporary crown to be placed during the initial appointment. A few weeks later, a permanent crown is fixed.However, for a baby tooth treated with a root canal, a composite resin crown, stainless steel crown, or zirconia crown, may be used as a restoration on the same day.

Safety

A lot of parents are curious as to how safe a baby root canal actually is. Most children requiring the procedure are quite young, which can cause anxiety in parents. However, parents should rest assured knowing that pediatric dentists are trained to perform baby root canals. They undergo extensive education and training in order to learn how to safely perform the procedure to ensure the health of the tooth is salvaged.

While it is understandable to be hesitant about a baby root canal, parents also need to understand that without the procedure, the child's oral health is at severe risk. The child's mouth is actually much safer after a baby root canal.

Find out more from a pediatric dentist

When looking for more information on baby root canals, parents can consult directly with a pediatric dentist. Any questions or concerns can be addressed, which can be helpful in easing anxieties related to the procedure. Additionally, the dentist can evaluate the child to determine where to get started. Contact our office today so that we can help you.

Request an appointment here: https://camelbackpedoortho.com or call Camelback Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics at (602) 595-3531 for an appointment in our Phoenix office.

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Baby Root Canal in Phoenix, AZ.

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