PT

ASK YOUR DENTIST ABOUT

PULP THERAPY

What is a pulpotomy? A pulpotomy is the removal of a portion of the pulp, the inflamed part, and filling of it with a medicated material (“medicament”) to stop the tooth from hurt ing. The pulp is the soft tissue inside the tooth where nerves and blood vessels pass through.

PULP

Why does a child need a pulpotomy? A pulpotomy is performed to save a tooth with a cavity that has reached the pulp, and that can no longer be treated with a regular filling. When a cavity gets very deep, close to the pulp of a tooth or even into the pulp, the pulp becomes inflamed and painful. This usually causes the “toothache” your child feels while doing things such as eating. Cavities can grow very fast and can cause pain and infection. They can spread and cause decay in other teeth, as well as infections in other parts of the body. Without treatment, the infection will spread. Why not just pull the tooth? Baby teeth hold space for the proper placing of the permanent teeth. If a baby tooth is lost too early, it may mean a crooked smile in the child’s future. How is a pulpotomy performed? The dentist will start by making the patient com fortable through the use of local anesthesia. All of the diseased part of the pulp is removed, while the healthy pulp in tooth root is left intact. Then a medicament is placed to stop bacterial growth and to calm the remaining nerve tissue. The tooth is then restored, generally with a crown.

Why crown a baby tooth? Dental crowns save a primary tooth until the permanent tooth can erupt and take its place. A baby tooth can be restored with a crown during one

appointment. Crowns are “cemented” onto an existing tooth and fully cover the portion of the tooth above the gum line. In effect, the crown becomes the tooth’s new outer surface. THERAPY

How long does a pulpotomy take to perform? Usually less than an hour. Your dentist may decide to do both pulpotomy and crown in the same visit. What about home care? Pain or discomfort after a pulpotomy may be treated with over–the-counter pain relievers recommended by your dentist. If swelling occurs, or if pain be comes worse, your dentist should be contacted right away. A crowned tooth must be brushed with fluoridated toothpaste and flossed just like other teeth.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

(AAPD) is the recognized authority on children’s oral health. As advocates for children’s oral health, the AAPD promotes evidence-based policies and clinical guidelines; educates and informs policymakers, par ents and guardians, and other health care profession als; fosters research; and provides continuing profes sional education for pediatric dentists and general dentists who treat children. Founded in 1947, the AAPD is a not-for-profit professional membership association representing the specialty of pediatric dentistry. Its 10,000 members provide primary care and comprehensive dental specialty treatments for infants, children, adolescents and individuals with special health care needs. For further information, please visit the AAPD website at http://www.aapd. org or the AAPD’s consumer website at http://www. mychildrensteeth.org .

211 East Chicago Avenue, Suite 1600 Chicago, Illinois 60611 (312) 337-2169 aapdinfo@aapd.org www.aapd.org; www.mychildrensteeth.org ©2018 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry All rights reserved.