Obturating Materials in Paediatric Dentistry

The prime objective in pediatric dentistry is to maintain primary teeth in anatomical and functional conditions up to their physiological exfoliation and eruption of permanent teeth. Premature loss of primary teeth leads to space loss reduction of the dental arch length migration of the marginal and antagonist teeth and insufficient space for erupting permanent teeth which causes rotation ectopic eruption and impaction of succedaneous permanent tooth. Thus pulp treatment is done as a routine procedure to prevent premature exfoliation of the primary teeth in children. But it presents a unique challenge because of a number of inherent difficulties such as molar root curvature the great number of collateral canals the complexity of the apical delta physiological root resorption process. So an ideal obturating material should be biocompatible resorbable antiseptic in nature non-toxic and non irritating to the periapical tissues and the permanent tooth germ. It should be radio-opaque should have ease of insertion and removal if required. Hence various obturating materials which are used in primary teeth are explained with their merits and demerits.