If your child starts complaining of extreme sensitivity or constant pain on the tooth or if you can see a swelling around a tooth, this could be a sign of pulp damage. Damage to the nerve housing of the tooth due to either deep cavity, trauma, or other infection causes this pain. If the pulp is damaged, it is important to retain as much of the living pulp as possible while treating the infected and damaged section. This is achieved through a procedure called “pulpotomy.” A pulpotomy is done if the pulp root is unaffected and just the pulpal horn/tip is damaged. We will remove the cavity along with the damaged pulp portion, medicate the area to clean out any remaining bacteria in the area, put medicine on the area and cover the area to protect it. Then the tooth will need to be prepared and covered with a crown to prevent further damage to the pulp. If the damage is extended into the pulp, we perform a “pulpectomy” which will remove all the nerves within the nerve housing and fill the space, just like an adult root canal. This procedure will also be followed by the crown to maintain proper tooth structure and spacing to allow adequate eruption space for adult teeth in the future.