What is a pulpotomy  (Childs Root Canal)

(nerve treatment)?

The pulp of the tooth is the hollow inner core of the tooth. The pulp contains nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue, and reparative cells. The purpose of pulp therapy in pediatric dentistry is to maintain the integrity of the affected tooth, so that your child’s tooth is not lost, until his/her permanent tooth is ready to erupt.

Dental caries (cavities) and traumatic injury are the two main reasons for your child’s tooth to require pulp therapy. Pulp therapy is often referred to as a “nerve treatment,” “baby or children’s root canal,” “pulpotomy.

  pulpotomyis a dental procedure that is performed when the decay in a child’s tooth reaches into the pulp (nerve) tissue. The infected part of the nerve tissue within the crown portion of the tooth is removed to prevent further inflammation and spread of disease (caries). Next, a sedative material is placed within the tooth to prevent bacterial growth and to calm the remaining nerve tissue.

After the pulpotomy is finished, your child’s tooth is restored with a stainless steel crown (SSC) on the back molar teeth to re-establish normal chewing function and to continue to hold the space until the permanent tooth can take its place. On the upper front teeth, either a regular stainless steel crown or a white esthetic stainless steel crown can be placed. This is performed in one visit and causes no more discomfort than placing a routine filling.