Should Your Child Get That Root Canal?
If your dentist tells you that you or your child needs a root canal, think carefully before accepting. A root canal, also known as a pulpotomy, is a procedure to remove inflamed or infected pulp from your tooth. The empty root is then cleaned out and filled with a rubber-like material. A crown or filling is then placed on the tooth, which remains in your mouth. 1 It’s a risky, invasive procedure that leaves a dead tooth in your body, setting the stage for both acute and chronic infection, which may circulate throughout your body undetected, leading to disease. Among children, in particular, there’s little research on how this procedure affects baby teeth — and at least one settlement suggests oftentimes root canals in children are unnecessary. Dentists Face $750,000 Settlement Over Baby Root Canals Thirteen dental clinics operated by pediatric dentist Barry L. Jacobson and his company, HQRC Management Services, were accused of performing and