Root Canal in Child Molar?? Extraction?

[Homemaker]

I am devasted.... I took my daughter to the dentist today for an obvious cavity. I knew it was there. I was trying to heal it naturally and thought it was a baby tooth, but it is a 6 year molar and I guess those are permanant (Yes, I am an idiot).. Ughh..

 

We have an appt tomorrow at a pediatiric dentist to see their opinion, but our dentist said he believes it is either root canal or extraction. I DO NOT want her to have a root canal. I would rather have it pulled.

 

Again, I am devasted and just need some advice from someone or hear from someone who has been in this situation..

[Flowing Brook]

I was told by someone that is into natural health that the new way of doing root canals is a lot healthier than the old way.

If you get a good endodontist I would go with the root canal. I think it would be a shame for her to lose a tooth this early.

With an extraction especially if it is on the bottom it can cause shifting and other problems.

[LucyStoner]

If it is a permanent tooth, I'd do what needs to be done to save the tooth, root canal or otherwise. I wouldn't leave her with a gap you are not planning to fill and a root canal is better than an implant. If you leave a gap she will need a retainer so her other teeth come in and stay where they need to be. I am missing a molar (due to some very bad childhood dentistry and me delaying dental work far too long) and the open spot causes jaw and chewing issues. I am getting an implant as soon as my braces are off. It's more invasive and more expensive than a root canal would have been had I dealt with it when I should have.

[Tap]

If you can save the tooth with a root canal, why not?

 

 

Six-Year Molar

 

By the time the child enters the first grade, the six year molars have usually erupted. This is a permanent tooth and is commonly mistaken for another primary tooth since no tooth is lost before it appears. This tooth is one of the most important in a child's mouth because it helps the other permanent teeth come into their proper place. If one or more of these teeth are lost, they are gone forever and could lead to crooked teeth, unnecessary dental expense and the loss of other teeth.

 

 

I am missing one because my parents couldn't afford orthodontia when my 6yr molar came in sideways. My front teeth all lay a bit sideways, and my back molars are shifted forward slightly. Due to this my bite is off and that led to jaw problems. I have impact fractures (and cavities) in my other teeth on that side because the teeth don't hit together right.

[wapiti]

I hope it all works out, but if a root canal is really necessary, I'd look for an endodontist (who does root canals all day long). I would not have my regular dentist do it - I think it's pretty specialized/high-tech these days. My dentist is a pretty high-tech guy himself, but he refers out for root canals. It's actually kind of an amazing procedure. But for the holding open of the mouth for so long, the result is awesome - pain is gone - I thought the root canal was an easier procedure than getting a crown.

 

If the only other choice is extraction, personally, I'd rather have the root canal and keep the permanent tooth. (As I have chosen, for myself, more than once :o)

[itsheresomewhere]

DS has had several root canals on his baby teeth and molars. A very good pediatric specialist is the way to go. Our pediatric dentist did DS while he was under for other dental care. This was unexpected but in the end it saved those teeth. DS never had any pain after the procedure. Save the tooth and get the root canal.

[Homemaker]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Itsheresomwhere, where those permanent or baby molars?

[RemsMom]

Get the root canal. DD22 is missing two permanent teeth and I have told she needs to start saving money for implants because they are so expensive!

 

By the way, I had a root canal done 15 years ago by a very competent dentist and have never had any problems with the tooth. Even the day of and the day after, I felt fine. I am sure there have been many advances in the past 15 years. Please don't extract the tooth. I have known a few adults that had permanent teeth extracted when they were young and it never worked out well for them as adults.

[LifeLovePassion]

DD had one of her baby molars abcess, they pulled the tooth and she has a space maintainer in that will be removed once the permanent tooth erupts.

[itsheresomewhere]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Itsheresomwhere, where those permanent or baby molars?

 

2 were permanent and one was a baby tooth.

[Homemaker]

Thanks for the responses.

 

I feel like the crappiest mother. We will see how it goes tomorrow.

[RemsMom]

Thanks for the responses.

 

I feel like the crappiest mother. We will see how it goes tomorrow.

 

 

Hugs to you. Don't be too hard on yourself. As a mom I always try to do my best but sometimes I make mistakes. There is just no way to be a perfect mom.

[CyndiLJ]

Don't feel like the crappiest mom. We've all guessed at the right way to approach something and turned out to be wrong. It is part of being a parent! We aren't always right (but don't tell the kids that!). We had our son have a similar situation when he was 8, 2 years ago. We opted to have it pulled. we had him in the local endodontist's chair and the man literally couldn't work on it. He wasn't at all used to working in such a small mouth for a root canal, and we opted to walk out after he got flustered and said he thought he might give up...we made the decision for him. We live in rural Colorado, 5 hours away from Denver...and of course this was over a holiday weekend and our son was in major pain.

 

When we later spoke with the local pediatric dentist, he counseled us to have it removed. He said many would say otherwise, for the reasons mentioned here on other comments, but his thought was that this was such a young age, we'd pay all that money to try and save the tooth and because he was so young it would never last a lifetime with a crown or replacement crown anyway.

[Tammi K]

My youngest dd had one done in her permanent molar when she was 9. It looked like a tiny spot on a molar with a sealant. The sealant failed. the cavity was bigger than it appeared. Whatcha' gonna' do? She handled like a trooper. The only draw-back, if it could be called that, is that most dental insurance won't pay for a crown until the child is 15 so you need to be vigilant about care for the tooth until it can be crowned. (Just reminded myself that said child is now 15! )

[gardenmom5]

I would do a root canal - for a child it's not as big a deal as for an adult. (I've had two prior to having crowns. they weren't that bad.) my dd had an abscess, and had to have a root canal at four. (she didn't have to have a crown.) the tooth's presence was important for spacing as her teeth came in. she did have to have it pulled a few years later, as it abscessed again, and she was without a tooth for a few more years.

[Mango]

Are you familiar with Thieves Essential Oil? I had a root canal done, then it went bad and consequently was pulled. I'm not a good candidate for implants so theres a hole......

 

The next time I had to have a root canal done, and it started acting up periodically like the previous one that went bad I tried some of the natural stuff so I can keep my tooth. Every time that tooth hurt I would rub Thieves into the gum below it. I also switched to Thieves infused toothpaste (and Tea Tree/Neem Oil tooth paste) I haven't had that tooth bug me in over six months. And an x-ray at the dentist showed a healthy root canal. :))

 

Give the natural a try before the root canal, if you can!

[Seasider]

Coming in late and not reading all the replies...

 

We have dealt with similar issues, not cavity related but congenital tooth defects.

 

At 6 your child's bones are still developing. Will a reputable oral surgeon even do an implant at that age? If you go for extraction perhaps there's an option to do a retainer with an artificial tooth placeholder. That would give time for the underlying bone to solidify with age. Just something to ask about.

 

Perhaps a root canal with crown will achieve the same goal. You folks have remarkable kids if they can sit cooperatively through one. I found it quite a challenge. Perhaps in pediatric dentistry the patient is sedated?

 

OP, I guess my actual point is than when you consider all the options, please be sure you choose the one that will result in the best LONG TERM bone integrity.

[Seasider]

Oh, you might want to do a consult with an orthodontist. Could it be possible that your child has a crowded mouth that would eventually require some extractions anyway? Even if that's not the one that would have been chosen for extraction, a very skilled orthodontist might be able to devise a treatment plan around it. Something to consider.

 

(And my apologies if this has been addressed up thread, I am reading/responding on the fly.)

[Homemaker]

Thank you again for all the responses. My main worrry is the health issues that could be caused from a root canal or it not working and needing it pulled anyways. I just don't know what to do. We are meeting with an Endo on Monday.

[Unicorn.]

Root canals are perfectly safe, (I don't have any idea what health issues you could be worried about), and with the right dentist will be no worse than getting a filling. Having had what I consider to be an unnecessary extraction many years ago, and now having issues because of it, I wouldn't do an extraction unless it was a last resort. To me, that's kind of like cutting off a broken leg because you are worried about putting a cast on it. :confused1:

[Flowing Brook]

Thank you again for all the responses. My main worrry is the health issues that could be caused from a root canal or it not working and needing it pulled anyways. I just don't know what to do. We are meeting with an Endo on Monday.

 

 

It used to be that they could not seal off the area totally and bacteria could get in causing health issues. If you get someone that has been trained in the new way of doing root canals there is no longer that concern. At least that is what I keep being told. I hope all goes well for you all.

[Mommyof4ks]

I would talk with the endo and ask about how likely a root canal will work for this tooth. I have had three root canals, and the first one ended up being pulled due to an infection, but so far the other two are ok. Of course bacteria building up in the dead tooth is a concern which can lead to heart problems, which I am guessing is the health concern you are worried about, but just keep an eye on it. If tiredness or frequent illness becomes and issue, then revisit. That is how I knew my root canal had gone bad, and literally the day it was pulled I felt soooooo much better.

[Homemaker]

We are going to the Endo shortly and I feel like I am going to throw up, I can't take the anxiety over this. I have been praying non-stop and have been trying everything natural under the sun to help her. ughhh..

[unsinkable]

We are going to the Endo shortly and I feel like I am going to throw up, I can't take the anxiety over this. I have been praying non-stop and have been trying everything natural under the sun to help her. ughhh..

 

 

(((Homemaker))) I'm sorry you're so anxious. Praying for you and your DD.

[SquirrellyMama]

My youngest dd had one done in her permanent molar when she was 9. It looked like a tiny spot on a molar with a sealant. The sealant failed. the cavity was bigger than it appeared. Whatcha' gonna' do? She handled like a trooper. The only draw-back, if it could be called that, is that most dental insurance won't pay for a crown until the child is 15 so you need to be vigilant about care for the tooth until it can be crowned. (Just reminded myself that said child is now 15! )

 

This is the situation we are in right now. Our kids have had sealants but my dd11's sealant failed on a molar and now might need a root canal. How frustrating! She's had really good teeth. I think she would have been much better off without the sealants.

 

Kelly

[Homemaker]

This is the situation we are in right now. Our kids have had sealants but my dd11's sealant failed on a molar and now might need a root canal. How frustrating! She's had really good teeth. I think she would have been much better off without the sealants.

 

Kelly

 

Squirrelly,

 

I am sorry you dealing with this. Do you know what you are going to do?

[unsinkable]

 

 

Squirrelly,

 

I am sorry you dealing with this. Do you know what you are going to do?

 

What happened at the appointment? What did the endo suggest?

[mysticmomma]

We are facing a similar situation.

[SquirrellyMama]

 

Squirrelly,

 

I am sorry you dealing with this. Do you know what you are going to do?

 

The dentist is going to first try a filling that releases fluoride. That will be in for a year. If that doesn't work she'll need a root canal. I feel so badly for this dd. When she was 5 she had to have an "extra" tooth pulled. She hasn't had any problems since then and now this cavity. The dentist told her it wasn't her fault. There was a small hole in the sealant. She has another appointment on Monday to get the filling.

 

I had a root canal in April and it was one of the easiest procedures I've had. I found an excellent endodontist so I'm going to take her there if she does need the root canal.

 

As others have said this does make you feel like the worst parent on the planet.

 

Kelly

[Homemaker]

Looks like dd will have a root canal. I am so broken up about it. I pray that they can do it in one swoop and it doesn't affect her health in the future.