Baby teeth where decay has reached the nerve but the roots are still healthy.
Pulpotomy
Removing only the top, damaged part of a baby tooth's nerve, leaving the healthy root portion in place.
“Just the top bit of the sleepy part inside your tooth is poorly, so we take that bit away, put some special medicine in, and give the tooth a helmet.”
How we explain it
What happens
Step by step
- 1The tooth is numbed and the decay removed.
- 2The inflamed part of the nerve in the crown of the tooth is taken away; the healthy nerve in the roots is left and treated with a medicated dressing.
- 3The tooth is sealed and usually protected with a crown.
What your child will feel
Numb throughout, most children describe pressure and a strange taste from the dressing rather than pain.
Parents ask