Treatment
Pulp Therapy
Treating a nerve that decay has come close to, so the tooth can be saved without a full root canal.
Pulp therapy, often called pulp capping, treats the nerve inside a tooth when decay has reached close to it but the nerve itself is still healthy, rather than removing the nerve entirely.
After the decay is cleared, a protective material is placed directly over the exposed or nearly exposed nerve, and the tooth is sealed. The nerve is then given time to settle and heal underneath it.
It saves you a root canal and a crown, which cost considerably more and take longer. It also keeps the nerve alive, and a living tooth holds up better over decades than a hollowed one.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about pulp therapy.
Anyone with a deep cavity that has reached close to the nerve, or a tooth that has been chipped deeply, where the nerve is not yet infected and has a reasonable chance of recovering.
Much like having a filling. The tooth is numbed, the decay is cleared, and the protective layer goes on. Laughing gas or oral sedation is available if you want it.
Usually forty-five minutes to an hour. Dr. Ladhar will then want to check the tooth over the following months to confirm the nerve has settled rather than deteriorated.
It does not always work. If the nerve was further gone than it appeared, the tooth can still need a root canal later. Dr. Ladhar will tell you honestly how likely that is before you choose it.
Some sensitivity to cold and to biting for a few weeks while the nerve recovers, which is normal here in a way it is not after an ordinary filling. Pain that worsens or starts throbbing means calling us.
Come and see us
We would love to meet you
Call the office or ask for a time online. We will come back to you within a business day, and tell you what it costs first.