Pulpotomy for Kids in Gurgaon
What Every Parent Should Know

A pulpotomy is a procedure to save a milk tooth that has a deep cavity or infection. We remove only the infected part: the soft tissue inside the crown of the tooth, and leave the roots alone. The tooth is then covered with a crown to protect it. Your child keeps their natural tooth until it falls out on its own at the right time.

• Also called a “baby root canal” or “nerve treatment for kids”
• Takes about 45–60 minutes in one visit
• Done under local anesthesia, completely painless
• Only removes infected portion, not the whole nerve

No. The procedure is done under local anesthesia. Your child’s mouth is fully numb before we begin. Most children feel nothing during the procedure, just a little pressure. After the anesthesia wears off (in 2–3 hours), there may be mild soreness, but this is far less uncomfortable than the toothache your child had before.

• Numbing gel applied before injection, so even the injection is less felt
• Child-appropriate dose of anesthesia used
• Mild soreness settles in 1–2 days with children’s paracetamol
• Children go back to normal activities the same or next day

Milk teeth are not just temporary. They hold space for the permanent teeth that grow underneath them. If a milk tooth is removed too early, neighbouring teeth drift into the space. The permanent tooth then has no room to come in properly and grows crooked, leading to expensive braces or even impaction.

• Back molars are only replaced by permanent teeth at age 11 to 12
• Early loss causes neighbouring teeth to drift into the gap
• Permanent tooth crowding or impaction can result
• Speech development may also be affected in young children
• Pulpotomy at ₹4,000–₹7,000 prevents braces at ₹30,000–₹90,000 later

Both procedures save infected milk teeth. The difference is how deep the infection has gone.

• Pulpotomy: Infection is only in the crown (top) portion of the pulp. Roots are healthy. Only the crown pulp is removed. Simpler, one visit, lower cost.
• Pulpectomy: Infection has gone into the root canals too. All pulp is removed from crown and roots. Canals are filled with a dissolvable material. More complex, may need two visits.
• Your dentist will examine the X-ray and decide which is appropriate. If the tooth can be saved by pulpotomy, we will always prefer that option.

Most pulpotomies for children are done in a single visit of 45–60 minutes. This includes time for the anesthesia to work and for crown placement. In rare cases where there is significant swelling or infection, we may give antibiotics first and do the procedure at a second visit.

• Typical single-visit time: 45–60 minutes
• Anesthesia onset: 3–5 minutes after injection
• Crown placement happens same visit in most cases
• Child can go to school the same afternoon in most cases

At Center for Dental Implants & Esthetics, Gurgaon, the cost is:

• Pulpotomy: ₹3,500 – ₹4,500 per tooth
• Stainless steel crown (SSC): ₹1,500 – ₹2,500 per tooth
• Tooth-coloured zirconia crown: ₹3,500 – ₹5,000 per tooth
• Pulpectomy (full baby root canal): ₹4,000 – ₹6,000 per tooth
• A full written cost estimate is given before treatment begins. No surprises.

For the first 24 hours, stick to soft foods that do not require much chewing. After that, your child can return to their normal diet with common sense. Avoid very hard foods for a few days.

• First 2 hours: nothing to eat or drink (mouth is still numb)
• First 24 hours: khichdi, curd, mashed dal, soft roti, banana, warm soup
• Avoid: hard biscuits, chips, hard candy, chewing gum, ice
• After 48 hours: most normal foods are fine
• Crown protects the tooth so chewing function is fully restored

Pulpotomy has a high success rate of around 85–95% when done at the right stage. But if you notice these signs after treatment, call us immediately:

• Pain that is increasing (not decreasing) after the first few days
• New swelling near the treated tooth after it had settled
• Pus or discharge from the gum near the tooth
• The crown has come off and the tooth feels rough
• Tooth is becoming loose unusually fast
• Child is running a fever that does not settle in 24 hours

Yes, in almost all cases. When a pulpotomy is done, a significant portion of the tooth structure is removed to access and clean the pulp. The remaining tooth becomes weaker and can crack with normal chewing. A crown strengthens it and seals it completely from bacteria re-entering.

• Stainless steel crown (SSC): stronger, silver coloured, for back teeth: ₹1,500–₹2,500
• Zirconia crown: tooth-coloured, for front teeth or parents who prefer natural look: ₹3,500–₹5,000
• Without a crown, pulpotomy success rate drops significantly
• Crown falls out naturally when the milk tooth exfoliates (falls out)

Pulpotomy can be done on any child who has milk teeth with adequate root structure remaining, typically from age 2 onwards. The tooth must have roots that are not yet fully resorbed (absorbed) naturally.

• Most commonly done between ages 3–9 years (peak milk tooth cavity years)
• Can be done on 2-year-olds if the tooth is worth saving (enough root remaining)
• For children who are uncooperative, short sedation options can be discussed
• Once the tooth roots are already dissolving naturally (as permanent tooth pushes up), pulpotomy is not worthwhile. Extraction is chosen instead