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Dealing with Tooth Injuries in Late Childhood

Children can be quite prone to injuring their teeth, especially if they are keen on sports. While this may be less of a worry when they still have their primary or baby teeth, it can become a real concern when they have their permanent teeth. If a child visits our Leeds surgery with a damaged permanent tooth, then Dr David Brown or another of our dentists will always to their best to try to save it. It is particularly important to try to do so while their jaws are still growing and developing, as having a full set of teeth will help ensure normal development. Another problem with losing a tooth during adolescence or in early adulthood is that they may not be mature enough to receive a permanent artificial replacement tooth.

Injuries to the Pulp of a Child’s Tooth are More Problematic

The reason for this is that this particular age group present dental professionals with additional challenges to those seen in adult patients. If an adult has an injured tooth then it is frequently possible to save it through having root canal therapy. This is an excellent conservative treatment that simply involves removing the damaged pulp area of the tooth. This is located in the central part of the tooth and contains the connective tissue and blood vessels that are necessary for the growth of the tooth, and for its sensory perception. The removal of the pulp doesn’t present a problem in adult teeth, as it has done its job and the tooth can function perfectly well without it. It is a different story in a child’s tooth as the pulp is required for the healthy development of the tooth and its roots. Tooth development also affects facial growth, bite development and the growth of the jawbone. These developmental aspects make it more difficult to replace lost teeth, and it is often impossible to do so properly until the child is fully grown.

Leeds City Dentalcare makes extensive efforts to rescue the pulp of young teeth so that the tooth can continue forming properly. There are a number of techniques that can be tried to help teeth injured in childhood to continue to become fully formed. The hope is obviously to save these teeth, or at least to make them last into adulthood when they can be permanently replaced with dental implants. At the very least, saving them at this stage will allow the face and jaws to develop normally, and will help minimise any problems in the longer term.

If your child does suffer an injury to their tooth then it is best to make a appointment for them to visit our Leeds surgery as soon as possible. Our dentist in Leeds can also give you lots of advice on what to do in the meantime, as well as information on how to prevent these types of injuries. Children that love to play sports may be better off wearing a custom made sports mouthguard, as this will help to protect their teeth from injuries, and they are a relatively inexpensive item to purchase. These can easily be made at our Leeds surgery, and will be comfortable enough for long term use.