I am a tad confused about what a pulpotomy is and when it is necessary. Can you help me? My daughter was at the dentist and he said she had a deep cavity. He told me to schedule an appointment for a pulpotomy but didn’t have time to tell me what it is. I’m confused because this is a baby tooth. Why is that necessary? Won’t it fall out anyway?
Patricia
Dear Patricia,
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I’m glad you wrote. I can help you with this. Essentially, a pulpotomy is a child’s version of a root canal treatment. It is used when a back tooth has extensive decay that is reaching the pulp. Your pediatric dentist will remove the pulp, then the tissue inside the roots will be disinfected and the tooth sealed. Usually, it will be covered with a dental crown. The standard crown for children is a stainless steel crown.
This is typically only done on a back tooth which needs to be retained until your daughter is around twelve-years-old when their adult molars come in. If these teeth are extracted prematurely, the other teeth will drift into the open space and it will lead to crowding of her adult teeth. You don’t want to pay for orthodontics if you don’t have to.
Talking to Your Pediatric Dentist
I am a little concerned no one at your pediatric dentist’s office was able to answer your questions. When you’re dealing with someone’s child, it is unfair to ask them to just blindly trust you. It is helpful if they know what to expect with any procedure as well as why it is necessary. Any dentist who works with children should be willing to take as much time as necessary to ensure the parents are comfortable with the procedures.
One thing you may want to consider is using nitrous oxide when your daughter has the procedure done. This has been dubbed laughing gas because it gives the patient a relaxed, floaty feeling. With most children, they fall asleep and stay that way throughout the procedure. This makes things easier for the patient and minimizes risks which can result from moving at the wrong time.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.