The pulp of a tooth is the inner, central core of the tooth. The pulp contains nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue and reparative cells. The purpose of pulp therapy in pediatric dentistry is to save a decayed or infected tooth that might otherwise need to be extracted. Dental caries (cavities) and traumatic injury are the main indications for pulp therapy. Pulp therapy is often referred to as a nerve treatment, a “baby” root canal, or pulpotomy.
After pulp therapy, the baby tooth will still be functional, but weak and prone to fractures. To protect it from further injury, the tooth will require a full coverage stainless steel crown for maximum protection. The restored tooth, along with the stainless steel crown, will eventually be replaced by the permanent tooth.