Pulpotomy

In primary teeth, when deep cavities have reached the nerve, or close to the nerve, it's sometimes necessary to perform a pulpotomy.

A pulpotomy is the removal of the irritated part of the nerve, also called the pulp, while leaving the healthy root canals intact. This procedure is relatively quick and painless, and it's extremely effective in eliminating infection in the nerve and saving your child's tooth.

The procedure

We want the entire procedure to be comfortable for your child, so the first thing we do is make sure the area is thoroughly numb.

Next, we place a rubber dam around the tooth to isolate it from the rest of the mouth and to keep it dry. It protects like a safety net. Nothing can fall to the back of the throat.

To get at the irritated tissue, we make an opening through the top of the tooth down into the pulp chamber. We then carefully clean out the irritated nerve tissue from the top of the tooth and medicate the remaining pulp to speed healing.

The last step in the procedure is to place a crown on the tooth to seal and protect it.

Discomfort after the procedure is unlikely, but if your child does experience some pain, you can give a children's pain reliever, following the instructions on the label.