Category: Pulpotomy

Why Does My Child’s Baby Tooth Need A Pulpotomy?

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In the Know for You to Know

My Dentist Told My Mom That I Need A Pulpotomy
My Dentist Told My Mommy And Daddy That I Need A Pulpotomy

Your child may have woken up with a toothache or hurt their tooth playing sports. Maybe your neighbor or sister-in-law called you because your child is at a sleepover and has tooth pain. Before you know it you’re being told the nerve in their tooth is inflamed and they need a pulpotomy.

Then you’re thinking, what does all this mean, what is a pulpotomy, and why does my child need a pulpotomy?

I’ve had a lot of questions recently about pulpotomies. Today I’m answering your questions and breaking down the basics on a frequently performed procedure but one you’re not familiar with, a pulpotomy.

Do Baby Teeth Have Nerves?

Yes, Baby teeth have nerves. The nerve is the inner most part of the tooth.

The Nerve Of The Tooth Is Also Known As The Dental Pulp

The nerve, or dental pulp of a tooth is the inner most part of the tooth. The pulp is a jelly-like structure in the center of every tooth, which contains nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue and specialized cells. The purpose of the pulp is to keep the tooth alive.

Why Does A Baby Tooth Need A Pulpotomy?

Cavities and a traumatic injury to a child’s tooth are the main reasons the tooth’s pulp is wounded.

A pulpotomy is performed in order to remove the damaged portion of the nerve and keep the remaining part of the pulp intact and alive.

This way the tooth feels normal and your child can keep their baby tooth until it falls out naturally and is replaced by an adult tooth.

What Is A Pulpotomy?

A pulpotomy is a procedure in which a dentist removes the decayed part of the tooth’s pulp to help prevent the formation of an infection, so your child can keep their baby tooth until it falls out naturally.

This procedure is only performed on baby teeth, and when there are no signs or symptoms of infection, such as pain, sensitivity, or swelling.

Is A Pulpotomy Like A Root Canal?

A baby tooth pulpotomy is sometimes referred to as a “baby root canal” or a “baby nerve treatment,” but this is not the same as an adult tooth root canal.

In a traditional root canal, all of the dental pulp is removed. In contrast a pulpotomy only removes the diseased pulp and is intended to preserve the remaining healthy pulp. This helps to keep the tooth healthy and strong.

It’s Only A Baby Tooth, Why Save It?

Children with strong healthy baby teeth grow up to have strong healthy adult teeth.

It’s important to take care of baby teeth because infections in baby teeth cause pain and can damage developing adult teeth.

Healthy baby teeth are also important because they help with proper speech development, chewing, good nutrition, and maintaining space for the adult teeth to come in correctly.

What Should We Be Doing At Home To Prevent Needing A Pulpotomy In The Future?

ToothBrushing And Flossing Routine

Tooth brushing and flossing are simple but crucial to keep your child’s mouth healthy. Make sure to brush 2X’s a day and floss once a day with your child to establish a healthy brushing routine.

Mouthguards Matter

As a parent you are always saying “Wear your helmet!” when our children want to go out to ride their bike, skateboard or scooter. Mouthguards offer the same protection.

While a helmet protects a child’s head, a mouthguard helps cushion a blow to the mouth and face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your child’s lips, tongue, face or jaws.

When it comes to protecting your child’s mouth, a mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of their standard equipment from an early age.

What To Remember

A pulpotomy is often recommended as a way for your child to be able to keep their baby tooth and is performed on a tooth for a few reasons —

  • when the bacteria from a cavity penetrate into the nerve of a tooth,
  • a tooth is broken and the crack is extends into the nerve of the tooth.

This procedure is done because they are too young to lose their baby tooth, and their adult tooth is not developed enough to grow in.

Has your child had a toothache and needed a pulpotomy? Has your child suffered a hit to their mouth which cracked their tooth and they needed a pulpotomy? Have you ever had a root canal? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email to kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us of Chat with us on Facebook

I'm Having Fun Playing With My Dad and Brother After Brushing and Flossing So I Don't Need Another Pulpotomy
I’m Having Fun Playing With My Dad and Brother After Brushing and Flossing So I Don’t Need Another Pulpotomy
My Mom Says My Baby Molar Needs A Pulpotomy
My Mom Says My Baby Molar Needs A Pulpotomy
My Mom And Dad Always Say This Is Why Having My Teeth Checked Is So Important
My Mom And Dad Always Say This Is Why Having My Teeth Checked Is So Important
Mommy And Daddy Said I Did A Great Job During My Pulpotomy
Mommy And Daddy Said I Did A Great Job During My Pulpotomy
Daddy Says We'll Get To Play More After We Brush and Floss So I Won't Need A Pulpotomy Like My Brother
Daddy Says We’ll Get To Play More After We Brush and Floss So I Won’t Need A Pulpotomy Like My Brother
Smiling My Beautiful Smile After My Pulpotomy
Smiling My Beautiful Smile After My Pulpotomy
Peek-A-Boo, We're On Our Way Home After My Pulpotomy
Peek-A-Boo, We’re On Our Way Home After My Pulpotomy
Mommy And Daddy Are Helping Me Brush and Floss My Teeth So I Won't Need Another Pulpotomy
Mommy And Daddy Are Helping Me Brush and Floss My Teeth So I Won’t Need Another Pulpotomy
Checking Out My Mouth After My Pulpotomy
Checking Out My Mouth After My Pulpotomy

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

Teeth Talk – What Happens When Your Child’s Cavity Is Too Deep?

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In the Know for You to Know

Why Did My Cavity Get So Big?
Why Did My Cavity Get So Big?

As pediatric dentists we are always emphasizing good oral habits like brushing and flossing. You’ve heard it so often you can recite it in your sleep.

The reason we talk about this so much is because often times when a cavity forms it doesn’t stay small for very long. It grows and its continuing growth is what makes it concerning.

You see, a tooth is made up of several layers, actually 3 distinct layers. The 1st is the outside layer, the enamel which is the hardest layer. Once a cavity (aka decay) penetrates through the enamel it moves into the 2nd layer which is the dentin.

The dentin is the middle layer and is softer than enamel so the cavity readily moves through this part. Once the cavity expands past the dentin it invades into the 3rd layer which is the nerve (aka pulp) of the tooth.

The pulp is the deepest layer of the tooth and has the blood supply and nutrients that the tooth needs but the cavity bacteria thrive on and want.

When a cavity invades into the pulp it causes the pulp to become inflamed, which can lead to a toothache and sometimes an infection.

There is a specialized procedure that is done specifically for when the cavity has reached the pulp in order to save the tooth, and this is called a Pulpotomy.

Today we’re breaking down the basics on when your child’s cavity has gotten so deep that a Pulpotomy is indicated.

What Is A Pulpotomy?

A lot of pediatric dentists refer to a pulpotomy as a “baby root canal.” While a root canal for adult teeth is a much different procedure, the basic reason is the same.

In a pulpotomy the inflamed portion of the pulp is removed and a specific medicated solution is used to treat any remaining bacteria in the pulp area.

The overall purpose of a pulpotomy is to preserve your child’s dental health.

Why Does My Child Need A Pulpotomy?

As a parent recognizing the signs at home indicating the need for a pulpotomy for your child is crucial.

Symptoms and complaints of a severe or ongoing toothache, tooth sensitivity especially when eating, tooth discoloration, waking up in pain during the night, or difficulty chewing indicate you need to contact your pediatric dentist.

By addressing these issues early on, you can help prevent the spread of infection and preserve the overall health of your child’s teeth and gums.

In contrast, hoping these red flags will go away can lead to more serious sequela.

New Front Teeth With Cavities On Back Teeth
New Front Teeth With Cavities On Back Teeth

Why A Pulpotomy And Not A Regular Filling?

A pulpotomy is the treatment of choice for a tooth when the cavity is so deep that it has infiltrated into the pulp of the tooth.

Once the cavity has gotten to the point when it extends into the pulp it is quite large. Since the cavity is extremely large and deep a traditional filling doesn’t address the nerve involvement, and can make things worse.

How Is A Pulpotomy Performed?

A pulpotomy is typically performed by removing the inflamed tooth pulp, with local dental anesthesia (aka numbing the tooth).

Once the tooth is numb, the dentist carefully accesses the pulp chamber and removes the inflamed or infected pulp tissue. This aims to eliminate the source of the infection and prevent it from spreading further.

After the pulp is removed, a medicated solution and dressing is placed into the pulp chamber to promote healing and help prevent bacterial growth.

What Do You Need To Know For After A Pulpotomy?

After treatment, the pain of your child’s toothache will go away.

Once the numbness wears off, their tooth may feel a sore for a day or two, but not like the pain they had before the pulpotomy.

The best part is you and your child can get back to your normal routine.

What To Remember

There are 2 goals for why a pulpotomy is performed —
The 1st is to take your child out of pain and preserve your child’s dental health,
The 2nd is to restore their tooth’s function and maintain its structural integrity.
Both are important for preserving your child’s tooth for the long term.

Has your child ever had a toothache? One that kept them up at night? and painful enough they didn’t want ice cream or candy? What did you do? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us or Chat with us at facebook.com/kidstoothhotline

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!