Extraction of the tooth is considered the last resort after you have run out of all the other treatment options available. The reason for the same is due to the loss of a baby tooth in early childhood, it may cause roots to the problem of smile correction in the future.

Smile correction in adulthood is required when there’s a premature loss of a baby tooth as it causes the other teeth to tilt towards the open space, creating problems with biting and opening the door for bad oral health.

Pediatric dentists use tooth filling, pulpotomy, or dental crown to restore a child’s tooth. Extracting a baby tooth is a big no, they will do everything in their power to save a tooth so that it doesn’t need to be removed.

Tooth Filling
If your child has a small cavity, your child’s dentist will be able to repair the tooth with a dental filling. First, the dentist will drill and remove the decayed matter in the tooth. Next, your dentist will use a tooth-colored resin to fill the hole left in the tooth.

Pulpotomy
Your child may need a pulpotomy when tooth decay is deep enough to irritate tooth pulp or even get inside their tooth. In this scenario, your dentist will remove the decayed tooth tissue before removing the pulp chamber inside the tooth. In most cases, the dentist will need to place a stainless steel crown over the tooth to restore it to its natural strength. A pulpotomy is usually performed on a baby molar and is similar to a root canal except the tooth roots aren’t removed.

Dental Crown
If the cavity is too big to be fixed by a filling, your dentist may recommend a dental crown. A dental crown is essentially a “tooth cap” that restores a tooth to its natural strength and appearance. First, the dentist removes the decayed tooth matter and makes sure to remove enough enamel for the crown to sit naturally on your child’s tooth.

Sometimes Extraction Is Necessary
Preserving baby teeth is an important part of dental care for children. The reason revolves around maintaining the right amount of space for the adult teeth to come in. However, sometimes your dentist will have no choice but to pull the baby tooth early. If the decay is so advanced it’s causing gum issues or pain for your child, extraction becomes the best option. Many dentists fill the gap where the extracted baby tooth was removed with a prosthetic to maintain the correct space for the adult tooth to come in.

Though children are using a set of teeth they will eventually lose, that set of teeth needs to survive until the adult teeth guide them out of the gums, which helps ensure the adult teeth grow incorrectly and with enough room. That’s why oral hygiene is important as soon as a baby’s teeth begin to come in, and teaching oral hygiene should begin at a young age. Despite your best efforts to ensure good dental hygiene, sometimes kids end up with cavities. Cavity care for children is very similar to cavity care for adults because preserving tooth health is the most important aspect.

Book an Appointment with a dentist in Azle TX to find out which treatment might be best for you.