A pulpectomy is a partial root canal. The word comes from pulp meaning the soft tissue containing the dental nerves inside a tooth and the word ending -ectomy meaning to cut out. The full meaning is to cut the pulp out of a tooth. The procedure is done in a dental office under local anaesthesia. An access is made into the tooth and the inside contents of the tooth are removed.

          A pulpectomy is usually done when a patient is having severe dental pain and is not able to afford proper treatment. It is sometimes done with an emergency dental patient is in a great deal of pain but there is no time available that day to do full dental treatment. Most patients initially experience pulpitis for some weeks or months before the pain gets severe. Of course, the best time to treat the problem is early when the discomfort is mild.

          A pulpectomy is not a pulpotomy. The pulptomy is restricted to the dental pulp located inside the dental crown and does not involve removing any tissue from the roots of the tooth. It is primary done with baby teeth or adult teeth which have not formed their root structures. The purpose with baby teeth is to allow the baby tooth to remain in place until it's time to fall out.

          A patient that has had a pulpectomy has to later go back and have a proper root canal completed on the tooth involved. Failure to do the proper treatment can cause a lingering dental infection around the roots of the partially dead tooth. The dentists at the Atlanta Dental Group PC are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being. You are welcome to join our family of patients. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Padolsky call 404-874-7428.