At Endodontics Unlimited, we work with children of all ages. For children in particular, our goal is to prevent the need for root canal treatment and to allow immature teeth to complete their development. The two primary methods in which we do this are vital pulp therapy and regenerative endodontic procedures. There is always a chance that root canal treatment may need to be done, but we aim to avoid it if possible.

Vital Pulp Therapy

Vital pulp therapy is performed in cases where a cavity has grown large enough to approach the pulp inside the tooth, but there is not yet any infection and the pulp is still alive. In these cases, we remove the cavity and evaluate the pulp. We remove any unhealthy pulp and leave the remaining healthy pulp. We then place a medication over it with a permanent filling on top. Afterwards, the pediatric dentist will determine whether the tooth needs a crown or if the filling is sufficient.

Regenerative Endodontic Procedure

The regenerative endodontic procedure is performed in cases where a tooth with incomplete root formation becomes infected, usually from a large cavity. This is a two-step procedure in which we aim to create a new healthy pulp from the cells that are already inside the roots. This allows for root development to continue, which allows for a more stable tooth throughout life. In this procedure, we remove the cavity and clean out the infected pulp. We place antibiotics inside the roots, which we leave for 1-4 weeks. At the second appointment, we rinse out the antibiotics, and place a new medication over the pulp and seal the tooth with a permanent filling. Afterwards, we do 6-, 12-, and 24- month follow-up appointments to confirm that the infection is no longer there and the roots are continuing to develop.