What are the signs of pulp injury and infection?
Inflamed or injured pulp is exceptionally painful. Even if the source of the pain isn’t visible, it will quickly become obvious that the child needs to see the pediatric dentist.
Here are some of the other signs to look for:
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Constant unexplained pain.
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Nighttime pain.
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Sensitivity to warm and cool food temperatures.
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Swelling or redness around the affected tooth.
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Unexpected looseness or mobility of the affected tooth.
When should a child undergo pulp therapy?
Every situation is unique. The pediatric dentist assesses the age of the child, the positioning of the tooth, and the general health of the child before making a recommendation to extract the tooth or to save it via pulp therapy.
Some of the undesirable consequences of prematurely extracted/missing teeth are listed below:
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Arch length may shorten.
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In the case of primary tooth loss, permanent teeth may lack sufficient space to emerge.
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Opposing teeth may grow in a protruding or undesirable way.
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Premolars may become painfully impacted.
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Remaining teeth may “move” to fill the gap.
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The tongue may posture abnormally.
If you have questions or concerns about the pediatric pulp therapy procedure, please contact your pediatric dentist.
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