Pulp Treatment - Arlington Heights, IL
Saving Smiles One Tooth at a Time
At All About Kids Dentistry, our board-certified pediatric dentists are here to help young smiles grow healthy, strong, and beautiful. When a child complains of persistent tooth pain, there’s a good chance something more serious is at hand. This means we must closely evaluate the affected area to determine if pulp treatment in Arlington Heights is required. If so, you can trust that we will ensure your child’s safety and comfort during every stage of treatment. Please schedule an appointment today with our team to discuss whether your little one needs extensive care for an infected tooth.
Why Choose All About Kids Dentistry for Pulp Treatment?
- Safe Dental Sedation Available for Nervous Patients
- Dental Team Will File Insurance Claims to Help with Reimbursement
- Multiple Board-Certified Dentists on Staff
Does Your Child Need Pulp Treatment?
To determine if your child needs pulp treatment, our pediatric dentists will need to evaluate the following factors:
- What kind of tooth pain are they experiencing, and where is it located?
- Is there a pimple-like bump forming on their gums?
- Is the affected tooth becoming discolored?
- Are the gums near the affected tooth becoming tender, red, or swollen?
- Is it painful for your child to bite down or chew? Do they experience sensitivity?
These questions can help guide the discussion as to whether pulp treatment is necessary. If so, we will develop a plan to address the problem area and restore your child’s smile.
The Pulp Treatment/Therapy Process
Pulp treatment is similar to a root canal for an adult. The only difference is that our team may determine that not all pulp needs to be removed. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
No matter what our dentists decide, the process remains essentially the same:
- Your child will receive local anesthesia to numb the tooth and its surrounding area. If necessary, we can provide dental sedation to help your child relax.
- We will isolate the tooth with a dental dam that keeps all moisture out.
- Our team will open the crown of the tooth and begin clearing out the diseased portions, making sure to clean the canals and remove the infected pulp thoroughly.
- We will then repair the structural integrity of the tooth to ensure it remains stable and sturdy before sealing off the crown to prevent reinfection.
- The tooth will be sensitive and a bit uncomfortable, so a dental crown will fit over the treated tooth to ensure it stays in place.
The Benefits of Getting Pulp Treatment
If your child needs pulp treatment, you may not be excited about learning this revelation; however, there are many benefits that you cannot ignore or overlook, including:
- Your child will feel no pain because they’ll be numb from the anesthesia provided before the procedure starts.
- Post-procedural healing is smoother and swifter because of OTC pain medication that dentists recommend.
- We will be able to save your child’s tooth so that they avoid extraction, allowing for a more cost-effective approach.
- Pulp treatment has a high success rate, so it’s unlikely that your child will need this kind of care in the future.
Pulp Treatment FAQs
Does Pulp Treatment Hurt?
It’s natural for your child to be nervous about their upcoming procedure, and they might even wonder whether or not their treatment will hurt. Although there is some potential for discomfort, this service usually alleviates more problems than it causes. Furthermore, our team will do everything we can to help ensure that your little one remains calm and comfortable throughout their visit.
For instance, we’ll numb their mouth with a local anesthetic before beginning to prevent their nerves from sending pain signals. We also offer nitrous oxide sedation (laughing gas) that’s inhaled through a mask placed over your child’s nose while we work. This medication typically induces relaxation and might even cause a case of the giggles, which may be how it earned its popular nickname.
How Long Will My Child’s Procedure Last?
Are you wondering how long you might be waiting for your kid’s procedure to wrap up? It is typically completed in a single visit and often takes between 30 and 90 minutes to complete.
However, it might take longer if molars are being treated or if your child’s teeth have developed more severe injuries or infection. In some cases, two separate appointments are required. During the first one, our providers will medicate the tooth with an antibacterial to prevent germs from reinfecting it once your child’s procedure is completed during a second visit.
Can Antibiotics Be Used Instead of Pulp Treatment?
It’s natural to want to avoid a more complex procedure, especially if your little one fears going to the dentist or struggles to sit still for longer periods. As a result, some parents want to know whether antibiotic therapy can replace pulp treatment.
While antibiotics can be helpful for reducing the risk of complications from the procedure, they unfortunately cannot be used to kill the germs inside your child’s tooth. The bloodstream doesn’t reach the pulp and therefore cannot deliver infection-fighting cells into the soft material, even if they’ve been given a prescription.
Can the Need for Pulp Treatment Be Prevented?
Thankfully, you can help prevent a need for pulp therapy by helping your child build healthy dental habits. For example, brushing and flossing twice daily removes plaque and bacteria that contribute to oral issues, like cavities and gum disease, that can lead to an infection.
You can also help preserve their teeth and keep germs out by reducing their sugar consumption to help keep decay at bay. You might also consider investing in a custom-fitted mouthguard or nightguard if they participate in sports or grind their teeth to avoid chips, cracks, or other injuries that make it easier for germs to penetrate their enamel.