Pulpotomy
What Is a Pulpotomy?
A pulpotomy is a dental procedure in which the pulp of the tooth in the crown (the crown is the part of the tooth that is visible) is removed and the pulp in the root canal is left intact. It is mainly performed on primary teeth (on children) and is used to treat tooth decay that has extended to the pulp.
Pulpotomy is a dental procedure used to save decayed, infected teeth. If you or your child has a severe cavity, plus infection in the tooth’s pulp (pulpitis), your dentist may recommend pulpotomy to you.
This procedure is also recommended when repair of a deep cavity exposes the pulp underneath, leaving it vulnerable to bacterial infection.
With pulpotomy, pulp is scooped out and removed from within the tooth’s crown. The crown of the tooth is the part surrounded by enamel that you see above the gum line.
Pulp is the innermost part of the tooth. It’s comprised of:
- Blood vessels
- Connective tissue
- Nerves
A deeply decayed tooth can cause inflammation, irritation, or infection to occur within a tooth’s pulp. This can threaten the life of the tooth, plus affect the gums, and surrounding areas of the mouth.
If your tooth has a deep infection that extends into or near the root, a root canal may be recommended instead of pulpotomy. Root canal procedures remove all of a tooth’s pulp, coronal pulp & radicular pulp.