Primary teeth or ‘baby teeth’ play an important role in the development and eruption of your child’s permanent teeth. Decay is very common with children and untreated cavities can cause your child to experience pain, infection and even damage to their permanent teeth or loss of baby teeth which can lead to crowding.
Not treating a potential cavity on a baby tooth because it is going to fall out soon is not a good idea and here’s why…
Although most children’s teeth fall out around the same time, there is no set time. Some children don’t lose their primary (baby) teeth until they are pre-teens. If you don’t get rid of the decay, then it might cause damage to the other teeth around it, which could lead to more invasive treatment or other related health issues.
Not treating a cavity will undoubtedly result in sensitivity and pain at some point. If they start accommodating their chewing it could lead to misalignment of their jaw.
Dental Fillings are a durable option for fixing cavities. They are tooth-coloured and compatible with sealants. If in any case they need repair, more composite material can be added.
If you think your child may have a cavity and require a filling, please speak with one of our dentists.
Crowns may be needed when there is significant tooth decay or nerve treatment is performed and a filing is no longer a treatment option. A dental crown is a type of restoration that “caps” or covers a tooth restoring it to its normal size, shape while protecting it from further breakage or cracking.
Dental crowns for children are usually completed in one appointment and usually last until your child erupts their adult teeth.
Your child may need to have their tooth pulled or extracted if the tooth cannot be repaired or is badly damaged due to tooth decay, dental trauma, periodontal disease or orthodontic needs.
Once the tooth is extracted, it is important to stop the bleeding by applying positive pressure by having the child bite tightly on a piece of gauze for 15-30 minutes. If your child is too young, you will need to hold the gauze for the same length of time. It is common for the extraction site to bleed on and off for several hours however further pressure usually will solve the problem.
Your child may also experience some slight discomfort or pain. We recommend Tylenol in the appropriate dose for your child. If the pain is severe, please call the practice for guidance.
Any sucking or use of straws should be avoided for the first day and crunchy foods should be avoided for one to two days after the procedure. To help with healing on the first day, rinse your child’s mouth with warm salt water 3 to 4 times a day after the extraction.
Primary (baby) teeth exist in part to help guide the growth of permanent (adult) teeth. If primary teeth fall out too early due to disease or trauma, space maintainers may be used by our dentists to prevent space loss and guide the permanent teeth.
Primary teeth stay in place until a permanent tooth comes in from underneath its position and pushes it out, taking its place in the mouth. It is important to remember the fact that some teeth are not replaced until a child is 12 or 14 years old.
What happens if you don’t get a space maintainer for your child?
Without a maintainer, the teeth can tilt toward the empty space and cause permanent teeth to come in crooked. If left untreated, the condition may require future Orthodontic treatment.
Space maintainers hold open the empty space left by a lost tooth. They steady the remaining teeth, preventing movement until the permanent tooth takes its natural position. It is more affordable to keep teeth in their normal position with a space maintainer than to move them back in place with Orthodontic treatment.
What is a space maintainer?
Space maintainers are appliances made of metal or plastic that are custom fit to your child’s mouth. Most children adjust to them quickly.
What is tooth pulp?
The pulp of a tooth is the inner, central core of the tooth and contains blood vessels and nerves.
Dental caries (cavities) and trauma to the tooth are the primary reasons for children to undergo pulp therapy.
Your children’s primary (baby) teeth are important for the development of their permanent (adult) teeth. The main purpose of pulp therapy is that the tooth is not lost. Primary teeth are needed for chewing and speaking, and they also serve as space savers for permanent teeth. Without the primary teeth to guide them, existing neighbouring teeth can crowd in, causing permanent teeth to grow in crooked or tilted.
Your Child May Need Pulp Therapy If They Have:
Below are the two forms of pulp therapy for children’s teeth – vital pulp therapy for primary teeth (pulpotomy) and non-vital pulp therapy for primary teeth (pulpectomy)
Vital pulp therapy is for cases in which the tooth’s pulp may be salvaged. The main purpose is to maintain and protect existing healthy pulp by removing the diseased pulp tissue within the crown portion of the tooth.
Next, an agent is placed to prevent bacterial growth and to calm the remaining nerve tissue. This is followed by a final restoration, which is usually made from a stainless-steel crown.
Non-vital pulp therapy is required when the entire pulp is diseased (into the root canal of the tooth). During this treatment, the diseased pulp tissue is completely removed from all parts of the tooth. The canals are cleansed and filled with a special material meant to be naturally absorbed by the body while the root prepares for the primary tooth to fall out and be replaced by a permanent tooth.
A crown is placed on the tooth to prevent fractures. If the pulp is severely damaged, your doctor may recommend removing the tooth entirely. If this is the case, request if space maintainers are necessary for future development.