Baby Root Canals?

Question

I am taking my 7 yr old to have baby root canal work done tomorrow. She is pretty nervous and so am I.
I would like to hear from parents who have been in the same situation that can offer any advice.
How did your child cope, how long did it take, what kind of pain relief was used?
Any info from parents and indeed dentists would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

tom3h11 is right, pulpotomy's are very easy on the child! They will get numb (please don't use the word shot!!!!) and they will remove the decay. With a child who is laying still and relaxed, decay can be removed in 3 minutes or less. They'll place some stinky medicine on the tooth, wait 5 minutes, put a base in and then put the filling in. Very easy, should take 15 minutes or less. Children's Tylenol should cover it for discomfort--have her take it before the numbness wears off. Please try to stay calm & relaxed about this. Your daughter will pick up on if your nervous and that will only make things worse. IF they allow you in the room while they are working on her, sit in the chair and read a magazine. Don't ask, "Are you ok?" "Does it hurt?" or things like that. You'll only make her think that things shouldn't be ok or it should hurt. Just give encouragement, like "You're doing great!!" Act like it's not a big deal and it won't be one!! Good luck tomorrow!

Answer 2

Tom and Justine gave you the touchy-feely stuff you need to know, but here's some more background information just so you know...

The procedure is called a pulpotomy, which is a child's version of root canal. It is a much quicker technique. The dentist removes the tissue from the root canal of the baby tooth (Yes, they DO have roots until they are ready to be shed when the roots have disolved.) and fills it in with a special cement made for this purpose. The tooth is then restored with either a simple filling or, if there has been a lot of breakdown, a pre-formed (inexpensive) stainless steel crown.

I'd say, the younger the child, the greater the indication for doing a pulpotomy. The purpose of this is to save a tooth rather than have it removed. Baby teeth DO serve a purpose, you know. The child uses them to eat with. On top of that, they will maintain the space that is needed for the permanent tooth to fit into the arch.

If you don't have the pulpotomy performed, the tooth will eventually hurt like heck, as the pulp (nerve and blood vessels inside the tooth) are already inflamed and probably infected. An abscess can pop up very quickly in a child. An infection (the abscess) can cause discoloration or even deformity of the permanent tooth.

If you decide to have the tooth taken out, especially at a very young age, it is very likely that the arch space will close up and there will not be room for the permanent tooth to come in. It is rather common to see a lower premolar growing in with the crown pointed half-way towards the tongue after one of the baby molars was removed at an early age without being replaced with a space maintainer.

If there is already an abscess showing in the mouth and if the x-ray shows that the bone between the roots has already been destroyed, a pulpotomy has a lower chance of success. Since this can happen in a matter of days in a child, do not delay treatment once it has been recommended.

Answer 3

Mainly, don't over dramatize it before hand. Don't fill the kid's head with threats and worry of pain, but don't lie either. Just tell her the shot will be a quick "pinch", but it will make the rest not hurt at all. It's actually quicker than an adult root canal, because the baby tooth doesn't have the deep tiny canals like adults, that's why it's a "pulpotomy" not a "root canal". And the reason to do it instead of extracting, is if the dentist can see by the x-ray, that the permanent tooth is not at all close to being ready to come in anytime soon. My son had one (I forget what age), and I'm a dental assistant! You can only do so much to make a kid brush and floss etc. Holding them down forcibly to brush them,is not an option..........He had 10 different types of toothbrushes, electric and otherwise, pre-rinses, after-rinses.....hell, I tried everything. My boss told me to stop kicking myself, that some people are just more prone to cavities due to their own saliva and enamel problems........JUST DON'T LET ANYBODY FRIGHTEN HER BEFORE HAND! the worst kids we work on, are the ones that were in terror before they ever get there, due to "stories" . good luck

Answer 4

that's a pulpotomy and they're a cinch. they get numbed with a shot and then to the pulp is taken out through a hole in the top of the tooth. this better be a baby tooth! although a child needing a root canal is never acceptable, it's down right neglect if your kid needs one in a permanent tooth.

the pain is minimal and i usually suggest kiddie motrin after the appointment.

Answer 5

A root canal on a baby tooth? That tooth is going to fall out anyway. Why pay all that money to work on a tooth that is not going to be there in another year anyway? I think this is another way for dentist to get money out of people. If the tooth was bothering your child that much why wouldn't the dentist just pull it out. A root canal on baby teeth. Come on!! Sounds a bit scammish to me.

Answer 6

i would just pull the tooth. it would be cheaper for you and less painful for your child.