If your child suddenly starts complaining about tooth pain, you may wonder what you should do and how you can help ease their discomfort. The first thing you should do is call their pediatric dentist. Based on the symptoms, they will advise you on how to proceed and schedule your child an appointment.
Maybe they mentioned the term "pulpotomy" during the phone call and you are now wondering what it means and what it entails.
Here's what you need to know.
A pulpotomy is a restorative dental procedure meant to clean and restore an infected primary tooth. If your child had a cavity that was left untreated, the infection may reach deep inside the tooth, affecting the pulp. And, because there are a lot of nerves there, your child may start experiencing the pain once the decay has spread so far.
The dentist will "drill" your child's tooth to reach the pulp and remove the infected tissue. Once the infection has been removed and the area has been cleaned, they will close the tooth with a filling.
In a way, a pulpotomy is very similar to a root canal. Pulpotomies are actually also known as "baby root canals." However, there are some important differences between the two.
A proper root canal is actually called "pulpectomy" and it's a more drastic procedure. The dentist will remove the entire pulp and the roots and replace them with a material called gutta-percha, which is very similar to rubber in consistency.
A pulpectomy is a last resort and it's ideal not to get to this point. With a pulpotomy, the natural tooth is actually saved and kept alive, which is crucial for the proper development of your child's adult teeth.
A pulpotomy is a serious dental procedure and it's normal to worry that your little one may be in discomfort. But, you can rest assured that they will be fine during the entire procedure. First of all, their mouth will be numbed, so they won't feel a thing. Moreover, you can also discuss sedation options with your dentist to ensure they will feel relaxed during the procedure.
They might experience a bit of soreness after the procedure, but it will go away in a couple of days and it's nothing compared to the pain felt from a tooth infection.
If your child is complaining about a painful tooth, it's best to get in touch with us right now.
At The Little Royals: Dentistry for Kids, we treat each patient as if they were our own kids. We know how nerve-wracking this experience can be for parents too, so we make sure to guide, advise, and educate you on what's happening and how to best care for your little one's dental health.
Call us now to book your appointment.
