PULPECTOMY PROCEDURE

WHAT IS PULPECTOMY??
Every human tooth has three parts in the crown (part visible in the oral cavity)- hard tissue structures called the enamel and dentin and a soft tissue pulp on the inside. Correspondingly, the root of the tooth has two hard tissues known as the cementum and dentin and a soft tissue structure pulp on the inside.

While the enamel , cementum and dentin on the outer layers of the teeth are tough and lifeless, the pulp inside is soft, living, highly sensitive and consists of nerves and blood vessles which provide nutrition and vitality to the tooth.

When the outer layers of the tooth are damaged, it is possible for the pulp inside to become infected. In some cases to save the tooth, it may be required that the pulp be removed. This procedure of removal of infected pulp, cleaning of the pulp canals and then filling it with a suitable resorbing material in a milk tooth is known as pulpectomy.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING TREATMENT?
A pulpectomy is similar to a root canal treatment and is actually typically a part of the root canal process. After a Pedodontist removes the damaged pulp from the tooth, the area inside the tooth is disinfected and then filled with an inert material.

WHO IS THE TREATMENT FOR?
Often, a pulpectomy is performed on a milk or deciduous tooth. The roots of baby different from the roots of permanent teeth.  Milk teeth have shorter roots that are eventually reabsorbed by the body. The reabsorption of the roots allows the teeth to fall out and be replaced by the permanent ones. Since the roots of baby teeth are resorbed, a pulpectomy procedure typically uses a material that can be resorbed at a similar rate to fill in the empty canal area, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
CAN’T THE TOOTH JUST BE PULLED OUT?
There are two scenarios whereby the tooth may be pulled out instead of undergoing a pulpectomy procedure.
1. The tooth is close to naturally falling off and the permanent successor is about to erupt
2. The tooth is grossly destroyed and cannot be saved even with a pulpectomy.
In all other scenarios, if indicated the pulpectomy procedure should be performed such that there is no loss of space in the jaws, there is proper development of speech and felicitation of mastication.


WHAT AFTER PULPECTOMY?
In case of teeth in the back of the jaws, a pulpectomy procedure is followed by the placement of a crown. These may be stainless steel or zirconia crowns. Placement of a crown helps to provide strength to the tooth and allows it to withstand the forces of chewing without fracture.
These teeth usually exfoliate on their own, allowing the permanent tooth to erupt in its correct procedure.

ITS Dental College, Hospital and Research Centre has a dedicated department of Pedodontics whereby all such procedures for your little one are performed by expert dentists with the utmost precision and care.

Source: https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/life-stages/infant-kids/what-is-a-pulpectomy-0117