Kids Dental Care: What is Pulpotomy?

Pulpotomy, or dental pulp treatment- is a required treatment in case the blood vessels and nerves become damaged and infected. The children’s dentist ridgewood may perform pulpotomy for different reasons. For example, the treatment is needed when dental decay was left untreated for too long, or because of an infection due to dental injury (such as knocked out teeth). It is extremely important to note that pulpotomy-pulp treatment is required to prevent further infection, pain, swelling, or even losing the tooth.

Quite often, dental cavities become so deep that they reach the nerve points, and this leads to severe discomfort and pain. In such cases, the part of the nerve that is infected must be removed, and a children’s dentist ridgewood can perform this treatment to avoid further problems. Next, the remaining part of the nerve that is still healthy will get proper medication and be allowed to stay intact. With a pulpotomy, the kid’s dentist practically helps extend the life of a baby tooth. Therefore, extraction or a space maintainer will not be required. The treatment helps keep the tooth in good condition up until it is lost, and the new adult tooth erupts. Thus, the tooth remains healthy so that the child can enjoy chewing food properly and enjoy a beautiful and healthy smile before the permanent teeth come in.

If pulpotomy is not performed and the tooth is extracted, the dentist will use space maintainers. The role of these maintainers is to hold the space free and available for the permanent tooth that will eventually erupt. If a space maintainer is not applied, the teeth from the adjacent sides of the extraction can easily protrude and this will not allow for the permanent tooth to erupt into its normal position. Space maintainers are typically removed from the mouth when the permanent tooth erupts and is in the proper position.

Talk to your kid’s dentist about the available preventive dental treatments to help your child maintain a beautiful and healthy smile. Following a dental exam, the dentist will suggest the required corrective dental treatments for your child.