What’s a Pulpotomy?

Underneath the exterior of a tooth is a pocket filled with nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. This is known as the “pulp” of the tooth. When a tooth has a bad cavity, the pulp of the tooth is exposed. This can be very painful, because the sensitive nerves and tissue are vulnerable. If your child is complaining of a toothache, it might be because he has a large cavity. In this case, we’ll need to do a pulpotomy to remove the damaged pulp. A pulpotomy is a fairly common procedure for decayed baby molars.

During a pulpotomy, we first remove damaged tissue, sterilize the area, then replace the pulp with a medicated filling. Sometimes, it is then necessary to place a crown to restore the structure and appearance of the tooth. A pulpotomy is usually very successful in saving a badly decayed baby molar, but if the damage is too deep, the tooth may eventually have to be extracted. It’s important to brush and floss your child’s teeth regularly, bring him in for regular cleanings, and have cavities filled as soon as they arise so that a pulpotomy does not become necessary.

A procedure like a pulpotomy can be scary for a child, but we take every step we can to make sure your child is relaxed, comfortable, and understands what’s happening. We explain in kid-friendly terms how we’re going to repair the tooth, and then we use laughing gas (nitrous oxide) and local anesthesia to make sure your child isn’t experiencing any pain or fear. The procedure takes about thirty minutes, and your child shouldn’t experience any discomfort in the tooth afterward

When preparing your child for a pulpotomy, it’s a good idea to present the experience in positive terms, explaining to them that this procedure will make the toothache go away and make his tooth strong again. If you’re experiencing personal anxiety about taking your child in for a pulpotomy, try to remember that this is a necessary procedure to save the tooth. Children easily pick up on any anxiety their caregivers are experiencing, and we want to try to make sure that this experience doesn’t make your child nervous or uncomfortable about going to the dentist in the future. On the contrary, we want them to understand that going to the dentist is about working together to keep your child’s teeth healthy.