Pulpotomy & Pulpectomy
At Richard A. Mandelaris, DMD Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, we understand the value of a healthy smile. We take pride in providing a thorough evaluation of your child’s dental health, which is why we will recommend treatments like fillings and even pulpotomies and pulpectomies when issues arise in your child’s tooth. It is a common misconception that baby teeth do not have to be saved, but preserving the primary teeth is an important part of proper tooth development.
Why Baby Teeth are Important
Baby teeth help your child eat and speak comfortably, but they also serve as space maintainers for the adult teeth until they finally come in. Losing a baby tooth too early can affect the way your child speaks or eats, and it also can cause gaps or crowding in their adult teeth. This is why we value baby teeth so much and why we work hard to preserve them.
What are Pulpotomies and Pulpectomies?
Inside every tooth there is a substance known as pulp – the living tissue of a tooth that keeps it alive. This tissue can become infected due to decay or injury, causing serious problems for the surrounding teeth and even the rest of the mouth if left unchecked. A root canal is a dental procedure used to treat the infected tooth and reduce your risk of losing the tooth permanently.
When only a portion of the pulp is diseased, our doctors will complete a pulpotomy to remove the infected area of pulp. The tooth is then treated with a cleansing and calming agent and then capped with a stainless steel crown.
When the diseased pulp has progressed into the root canals, our doctors will complete a pulpectomy which removes the pulp to the root. The canals are cleaned and treated with disinfectant and then filled. The tooth is then capped with a stainless steel crown.
The Benefits of Treatment
A pulpotomy or a pulpectomy can help save an infected tooth and prevent it from needing extraction. When this treatment is used on a baby tooth, the procedure can help preserve that tooth until it naturally falls out and the adult tooth begins to come in. When we recommend that a child gets a pulpotomy or a pulpectomy, we have thoroughly evaluated their dental health and determined the procedure is the best way to preserve their tooth and future smile.
After the procedure, your child’s tooth or jaw may feel sensitive, but it is likely that their tooth will feel considerably better than it did before the procedure. With the infected pulp removed and the crown in place, they will be able to eat and speak without complications, and their tooth should now have a better chance to survive until it is ready to fall out naturally.