April 8, 2022

WHAT EXACTLY IS A PULPOTOMY?

Pulpotomy. It’s a term you may not be familiar with. A pulpotomy, on the other hand, is a common pediatric dental operation. If your child has a deep cavity, your pediatric dentist may consider a pulpotomy. Here’s some background on what a pulpotomy is and why it’s done.

What Exactly is it?

A pulpotomy is a procedure in which the inflamed, infected pulp of a primary molar is removed. A deep cavity can cause harm to a tooth’s pulp, or nerve. Inflammation and toothache pain can arise when cavity-causing bacteria infiltrate the inner chamber of a tooth that contains the pulp. A pulpotomy relieves pain by soothing the injured tooth. Following a pulpotomy, the dentist repairs the tooth’s shape, usually with a crown.

What's its purpose?

Infected pulp can lead to a tooth abscess if left untreated. A tooth with an abscess cannot be saved and must be extracted. To save the tooth, a pulpotomy removes the diseased material. On severely decaying infant molars, pulpotomies are performed.

What's the use of saving a baby tooth?

Even though baby teeth eventually fall out on their own, they play a crucial role while they are still intact. One of the fundamental functions of a baby tooth is to keep the corresponding permanent tooth in place until it erupts. Furthermore, a pulpotomy relieves the pain caused by the infected tooth.

A pulpotomy is similar to a root canal. Is that correct? Although the techniques are similar, they are not identical. On a permanent tooth, a root canal is a more complicated surgery.