Various types of filling materials have been invented and used since ages. The popular silver amalgam fillings are now getting out- favoured by newer materials with better properties. In pediatric dentistry the commonly used materials are glass ionomer, resin modified glass ionomers, composite resins like white fillings or invisible fillings and sometimes multicolored fillings for novelty effect.

Filling and restorative processes are generally painless but deeper and extensively decayed teeth treatment might just get a little discomforting requiring local anesthesia. With the advent of very thin, almost hairlike needles meant for local anesthesia, even the numbing process is getting increasingly acceptable for young kids.

Sometimes deeper cavities might require certain medicament layering before final filling to protect and soothe the underlying nerves and taking care not to irritate them.

Treatment procedures are done in our center in a way not to tire the patient and retain their cooperation. So spaced out treatment sittings are generally preferred.

Dr Bhavsar is also one of the first professionals to use a chemo-mechanical cavity removal system called Carisolv imported from Sweden. With this system, only the decayed portion of the tooth are dissolved with chemicals thereby reducing the need of using the dreaded drill. And after this process the dissolved portions are removed using special instruments which makes the entire procedure quite pain free.

Why root canal in milk teeth? : Whenever the milk teeth get infected with cavities they can be treated by fillings if decay is spotted early and the inner nerve (present in all teeth) is not damaged. However if the nerve does get affected because of decay or accidental fracture of teeth, then an advice should be sought from a pediatric dentist regarding treatment. Your pediatric dentist with the help of clinical examination and x-rays would be able to tell you if root canal is needed or not. If that particular tooth has still some time to go before their actual time of falling off, then it is advisable to retain that tooth by doing a treatment known as root canal. In this procedure we remove all the infected pulp (nerves) from within the tooth, clean the canals and fill them up with specially formulated materials. These materials are designed to be dissolved while the body is naturally reabsorbing the root in preparation of the tooth falling out to be replaced by permanent tooth later on in life.

IMPORTANT : Milk teeth and permanent teeth are two separate entities. The nerves of the milk teeth have no relation to the nerves of the permanent teeth. Therefore, doing a root canal treatment in milk teeth DOES NOT damage the permanent teeth formation. On the other hand by not doing a root canal in the decayed milk teeth, damage to the permanent tooth development may occur. The infection and the pus of the primary tooth can spread beyond their roots and damage the structure and eruption path of the developing underlying permanent tooth.

THE BENEFIT : Once the RC is done, the tooth is saved and brought back to a pain free and functional condition and this then serves the function for the child till they fall off naturally which is most desirable. Dr. Bhavsar is qualified to perform this procedure in ONE SITTING rather than call your child again and again. This way it becomes very much acceptable to the child. However if the child is brought late to the pediatric dentist and the swelling, pus formation, gum boil or an abscess has already occurred in connection with the damaged tooth then more sittings may be needed.