Should a 3-year-old child get a root canal?

Children are very susceptible to pulpitis, if not treated in time, this condition can be painful for a long time and lead to many dangerous complications to the health, even the life of the child. However, there are still many people who wonder if they should take root canals in children?

Children are the most susceptible to pulpitis, the main cause of this condition is tooth decay. In addition, trauma such as broken teeth, broken teeth or bleeding gums also damage teeth, creating conditions for bacteria to attack the pulp.
When children are 3 years old or older, the risk of pulpitis increases. However, many parents worry that “should a 3-year-old get a root canal” and how it will affect the permanent teeth. In fact, taking the pulp of a baby tooth does not affect the eruption of permanent teeth later.
On the contrary, if the milk tooth has died of pulp due to infection without treatment, it will spread to other teeth, destroy the surrounding soft tissues and lead to necrosis. The necrotic substances can escape through the apical hole of the root and go out, causing inflammation of the connective tissue around the teeth, inflammation of the jawbone,... More seriously, the necrotic substances can accumulate at the root of the tooth, causing tumors. granules, root cysts. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct root canal treatment in children when there are signs of pulp death.
However, for each specific case, the doctor will make a decision whether to take a root canal in a child. Specifically:
Should take tooth pulp in children in case bacteria and germs have spread and invaded the pulp area. Depending on the severity of the damage, the doctor will evaluate whether or not the tooth pulp really needs to be removed. Children do not need to take the tooth pulp when bacteria and germs only affect the enamel and dentin, but have not penetrated the pulp.

Many parents worry that the root canal treatment in children will have any effect on the process of replacing and erupting permanent teeth later on. However, taking the pulp of a baby tooth is absolutely advisable when a child's tooth shows signs of pulp death and negatively affects health.
Root canal helps children get rid of the painful condition of pulpitis. This makes it easier for children to chew and swallow food. As a result, children can eat and drink normally and develop more comprehensively
When the damaged milk tooth pulp is not treated in time, it can cause bacteria to spread more strongly, eating into the bone structure, causing damage to the teeth. Young teeth are loose and fall out prematurely. When the baby teeth are broken early, and no permanent teeth have come in, the child's ability to chew and speak will be greatly affected.
In particular, it also affects the direction of future permanent teeth. Because when a tooth is lost, the adjacent teeth will shift, and the permanent tooth will also shift.
However, a tooth with pulp is destroyed, especially when the whole pulp is taken, the tooth will be very weak. Therefore, after eradicating the pulp of the milk teeth, the dentist will evaluate and base on the age of tooth replacement to decide whether to only fill or do more protective porcelain caps.
However, the eradication of the pulp of milk teeth does not adversely affect the health of children. On the contrary, it also helps children to have healthy and beautiful teeth when replacing permanent teeth.
To reduce anxiety, parents can take their children to reputable dental facilities to perform root canal treatment in children. Doing this as soon as possible helps children better protect their oral health.

There are 2 ways to treat the pulp of milk teeth in children, that is to take the pulp or extract the tooth. Depending on the degree of infection, age and oral condition of the child, the doctor will choose the appropriate method.
3.1. Extraction of teeth Baby teeth remain on the jaw until the child is 13 years old and fully perform the functions of the teeth. Only in the following 2 cases should the tooth extraction method be chosen:
Large broken teeth cause inflammation, pus and inflammation in the bone. X-ray results show that the permanent teeth will erupt within 6 months. If the tooth is extracted early, far from the time of new teeth eruption, it will create a space leading to tooth movement and tooth loss. Eating will also have problems and affect the digestive system. In addition, the gum tissue at the extraction site will harden, making it difficult for the permanent teeth to grow, grow slowly and grow misaligned. Baby teeth also work to help the jaw bone develop, without teeth, the jaw bone will not be developed with the body, making the bones thin and weak.
3.2. Root canal extraction for children is the most effective method and is preferred by many people when children have pulpitis.
The pulp is the part located in the center of the tooth, which contains the most soft tissues and nerves. It takes on the role of transmitting sensations and nutrients to nourish teeth.
Once the tooth pulp has died, it cannot be restored, it is imperative to destroy the pulp. If the tooth pulp is only partially infected, a complete root canal treatment must be placed before taking the pulp, avoiding pain for the child.
The dental pulp extraction process in children includes the following 5 strict steps:
Step 1: Examination The results of dental X-rays will show the child's condition and degree of pulpitis, determine the length of the canal. marrow as well as planning treatment.
Step 2: Cleaning and anesthesia First, the dentist will clean the oral cavity, remove bacteria and agents that can cause tooth infection. Then, a local anesthetic will be administered.
Step 3: Put rubber soles Rubber soles are placed close to the teeth to prevent chemicals during root canal treatment from falling into the digestive tract.
Step 4: Take the tooth pulp The doctor will open an entrance on the tooth surface through to the canal and remove the dead pulp out.
Step 5: Filling After removing the dead pulp, the dentist will fill the empty pulp chamber with Gutta Percha material.

Besides the question "should tooth pulp be removed in children", the issue of "does root canal extraction in children hurt" is also of great concern to many parents. Accordingly, root canal treatment is a fairly simple dental procedure, but it will directly affect the child's pulp. The pulp is a place where many nerves are concentrated, so it will more or less cause pain for children when performing treatment.
On the other hand, children are often very sensitive and have poor pain tolerance, so many parents worry that removing milk tooth pulp will cause pain and obsession for children. It can even cause a child to be traumatized.
However, the pain when taking the milk tooth pulp is only transient and nothing to worry about. In addition, the child was under anesthesia before the procedure, so there will be no pain when performing the marrow extraction.
To reduce anxiety, parents should choose a reputable dental facility with many good doctors, experienced and solid skills, so they will not worry about children having pain when taking root canals.
Besides, parents should also encourage and help children prepare psychologically to receive the procedure with an active and ready attitude.

To avoid having to take root canals, the best way is to take proper care of your children's teeth. You should keep the following notes in mind to help your baby have strong teeth:
Instruct children to brush their teeth properly, rinse their mouth, clean their teeth after meals and before going to bed. Limit your child's intake of candies, sweets and starchy foods. These foods, if left in between the teeth, will create favorable conditions for bacteria to grow and cause damage to the pulp, gingivitis,... Parents should check their children's teeth regularly, develop Early detection of lesions for prompt treatment. Thereby, minimizing the serious damage that can occur in the teeth. Establish routine dental check-ups for children at least once every 6 months to screen for early signs and treat disease. In summary, taking the pulp of a baby tooth does not affect the eruption of permanent teeth later. On the contrary, if the baby tooth dies due to infection without treatment, it will spread to other teeth, destroy the surrounding soft tissues and lead to necrosis... More seriously, the necrotic substances can accumulate at the root of the tooth causing granulomas, root cysts. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct root canal treatment in children when there are signs of pulp death.
To examine and treat children's oral problems, you can take your child to the Odonto-Stomatology department - Vinmec International General Hospital. Currently, Vinmec is one of the leading prestigious hospitals in the country, trusted by a large number of patients for medical examination and treatment. Not only the physical system, modern equipment: 6 ultrasound rooms, 4 DR X-ray rooms (1 full-axis machine, 1 light machine, 1 general machine and 1 mammography machine) , 2 DR portable X-ray machines, 2 multi-row CT scanner rooms (1 128 rows and 1 16 arrays), 2 Magnetic resonance imaging rooms (1 3 Tesla and 1 1.5 Tesla), 1 room for 2 levels of interventional angiography and 1 room to measure bone mineral density.... Vinmec is also the place where a team of experienced doctors and nurses will gather a lot of support in diagnosis and detection. early signs of abnormality in the patient's body. In particular, with a space designed according to 5-star hotel standards, Vinmec ensures to bring the patient the most comfort, friendliness and peace of mind.