When your child’s baby tooth has significant decay or has suffered an injury, timely care is important to protect the tooth and avoid infection spreading to nearby teeth. After a series of X-rays, your trusted dentist at Mor Smiles 4 Kids in Montgomery, TX will evaluate the situation and suggest either a pulpotomy or pulpectomy treatment.
Pulpotomy
If the damage or decay is limited to the crown portion of the tooth, a pulpotomy is often the recommended approach. Deep cavities that reach near or into the pulp cause inflammation and irritation to the pulp tissue. A pulpotomy involves removing the inflamed pulp tissue from the crown area, especially common in baby molars, while preserving the healthy root pulp. Following the procedure, the cleared space is filled with biocompatible material and capped with a crown to restore the tooth’s function and appearance.
Pulpectomy
When the infection affects both the crown and root pulp, a pulpectomy is necessary. This treatment removes all pulp tissue from the crown and root canals. Once your child’s tooth is numbed, the dentist carefully eliminates the infected pulp and nerve material, cleans and disinfects the canals, then fills them with dental cement. The tooth is then restored with a stainless steel crown to ensure durability and protection.
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