The question often arises: "Should we treat or extract a decayed baby tooth?" The answer is clear: "Treat!" Extraction can lead to serious complications. This is primarily related to the difficulty of the eruption of the permanent tooth. The fact is that after extraction, the teeth shift, and the permanent tooth may erupt in an unexpected location. This can lead to further problems and the need for orthodontic treatment. Moreover, with insufficient teeth, one cannot speak of a satisfactory chewing process, as digestion begins in the mouth. Malocclusion, poor diction, cosmetic defects – these are issues that can arise from the extraction of baby teeth.
Treating teeth is, of course, necessary. The presence of pathogenic microbes in the mouth negatively affects the child's immunity, increases the risk of colds and viral diseases, and stomach issues. Additionally, there is a psychological aspect – a child cannot feel confident with such defects as decayed teeth and bad breath.
The development of caries in children's teeth differs from that in adult teeth. Baby teeth have very thin enamel, so bacteria penetrate the dentin, which is much softer than enamel, very quickly. Therefore, children's teeth affected by caries do not always look that bad – there may be just a small hole on the surface, while the dentin inside is already severely damaged by caries.
Caries can quickly destroy dentin. In severe cases, the dentin is destroyed to the point that microbes reach the pulp of the tooth – this causes a complication of caries known as pulpitis. The pulp of a child's tooth is less sensitive than that of an adult tooth, so the disease often progresses without significant pain. However, the infection penetrates further.
Another complication of caries is periodontitis. Microbes that penetrate the root of the tooth spread to the surrounding tissues and cause inflammation of the bone tissue, which can lead to severe pain.
Baby teeth can be successfully treated for caries – all softened tissues are removed, the tooth is sterilized and filled. Such teeth will serve the child until they are replaced by new, permanent teeth. Baby teeth require the same attention as adult teeth. Caries can be detected at an early stage by conducting preventive examinations in Israel every three months.