Regenerative Endodontics for Pediatric Patients

What is regenerative endodontics?

Regenerative endodontics is a new development in the world of dentistry. It’s based on the concept of tissue engineering for restoring diseased root canals into a healthy state. Once the root canal is healthy again, the body naturally develops the root and surrounding tissue, typically avoiding the need for a root canal procedure. 

Endodontists lead the research in dental pulp biology, tissue engineering, and dental trauma treatment to create regenerative endodontics that save damaged teeth by replacing structures such as dentin, roots, and the cells of the dental pulp. Treatment restores the normal functioning of these structures by stimulating the body to regenerate healthy cells to replace the diseased ones. 

Regenerative endodontics is currently used for children as their teeth are still developing and have an increased likelihood of successful regeneration. The treatment is in clinical studies for potential use in adults.

Why are stem cell-based therapies important for children?

Children’s teeth continue to develop for about two years after erupting from the gums. When children experience dental trauma or injury during this time, they’re at risk for infections that lead to tooth loss. 

Traditionally, the only treatment for young children with infected teeth is a root canal, but the use of stem cell-based therapies in regenerative endodontics promotes continued development of diseased or damaged teeth that reestablishes normal function.

How do regenerative endodontics and root canal therapy differ?

Regenerative endodontics, provided at Dominion Endodontics, is an extension of root canal therapy. Conventional root canal therapy cleans and fills the dental pulp chamber with manmade materials to prevent further damage and tooth loss.

Regenerative endodontics replaces diseased pulp with live tissues in the pulp chamber to allow the tooth to regenerate itself and restore normal functioning.

Are regenerative endodontics successful?

While still a fairly new advancement in endodontics, regenerative endodontic procedures are highly successful, in the range of 90-100% for healing.

In addition, researchers applying regenerative endodontic procedures to mature teeth in adult patients have shown a complete resolution of the signs and symptoms of pulp damage. This discovery may provide the basis for using regenerative endodontic therapy as a common root canal treatment in the future.

To learn more about regenerative endodontics, call Dominion Endodontics or schedule an appointment online today.