My 7 year old has a cavity in upper 6 yr molar that dentist is recommending a root canal. why not just pull the tooth i am worried that a root canal will be too traumatic for a 7 year old and i want to know what will it impact if the tooth was just pulle

Good : Good morning. Our mouth is designed so that their is a specific place for each tooth. If a tooth is pulled- it not only leaves a space empty; but it effects the other teeth. It can affect the rest of the mouth. With the tooth gone, the teeth on either side of it will often migrate into that space. This means that the teeth are no longer arranged the same way. Because the upper and lower teeth are designed to work together as a set, a change to either half of the set can throw off the bite. I guess it is sort of like removing one item from a mobile; it throws off the balance. Take care.

In : In this particular situation, there are 2 options: proper root canal therapy, preferably done by an endodontist ( root canal specialist) and a well made crown by a quality dentist or a prosthodontist ( restorative specialist). This is a tooth that is needed for a lifetime of use, and as doctor fowler said, for proper space maintenance. The second option is to consult with an orthodontist, and see if it is possible to extract this tooth, and the bring the second molar into bite in its stead. At this time the second molar is forming within the bone, and when it will erupt in a year or two, the orthodontist might be able to bring it into proper occlusion (bite). When she is closer to age 18, the third molar can be brought into occlusion, to replace the second molar, which was used instead of the first molar, which will be currently extracted. This is a complicated option, which requires careful orthodontic consideration. Either option will be fairly expensive, but good return on investment is excellent. Consult with an orthodontist first, before you do anything else. Best of luck, dr. Zev kaufman.

It : It is in your child's best interest in the long term to save this tooth. Assuming the tooth is in reasonably good condition a six year molar is an important tooth to keep. If it is lost there is great potential for misalignments in both the upper and lower arches which will need far more extensive treatment to correct than the root canal now.

Endo: See an endodontist, options for a 7 yr old nee to be appropriately managed. Some vital therapies (read as partial root canal) may work depending on the health of the tooth, which would allow the roots to continue to fully develop. I would also consider a stainless steel crown until the child gets older and more developed jaws and bite to put on a final crown. Lastly sedation to help kid thru it.

Consider this-->: First, based upon many, many years in practice doing rct and extractions and treating children of all ages, the extraction of a permanent molar will be more traumatic for your child than saving the tooth. Your child will be numb and not feel anything for the rct. For the extraction, she will have bleeding and pain afterwards. Finally, there's the trauma of replacing the tooth later on.

Save the tooth!: From a lay persons perspective, removing the tooth may sound reasonable; but for many, many reasons it is not. Extraction is the most invasive procedure. Root canal therapy is successful and almost always without pain and trauma. The 6 Y.O. Molar is very important functionally and occupies a unique place in the dental arch. Removal will relegate your child to a lifetime of dental procedures.

Caution!!!: Now details are important here. If this tooth is an adult 6-year molar, the first permanent molar, it is too early to do a root canal procedure on it because the roots are not fully formed. Instead i would recommend a pulpotomy to buy time. If the tooth is a "baby tooth", keeping the tooth will maintain space until the underlying adult erupts. The baby tooth most times can also have pulpotomy.

Probably baby tooth: The six year molars erupt at about six years old.. If your child is only seven and already needs root canal therapy, his remaining dentition would also be affected. If a baby tooth, save it and maintain the space for the premolars that erupt in another five years or so. The procedure is no more traumatic than placing a filling.

Save the tooth: The dentist may be recommending an apexification procedure, as it is doubtful that the root is fully formed at age 7. I would definitely look to save the tooth and have all the other teeth checked as well. Extracting a permanent tooth at age 7 would alter the dentition for life.