Pulpotomy involves removing the coronal portion of the pulp and placing a medicament, indicated for large carious lesions involving the marginal ridge in a vital tooth with no pain or infection. Pulpectomy removes all pulp tissue from the chamber and root canals, indicated for teeth with irreversible pulpitis throughout the pulp or abscessed primary teeth. Contraindications for both procedures include the presence of infection, bone loss, or non-restorable teeth.

1. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PULPOTOMY
AND PULPECTOMY
M.Owais
Final year BDS

2. PULPOTOMY
It is defined as the removal of coronal portion of pulp
followed by placement of medicament

3. INDICATIONS
 Large proximal carious lesion with involvement of
marginal ridge
 No history of spontaneous pain
 Absence of abscess or fistula
 Where extraction is contraindicated
 Vital tooth with healthy peridontium

6. PROCEDURE
 Apply L.A and rubber dam
 Remove the carious lesion
 Access the pulp chamber
 As soon as dip is felt don’t go deep but side to side
to extend roof
 Remove coronal pulp by round bur or excavator
 Apply medicament

7.  Remove cotton pledget and check for excessive
haemorrhage
 Fill chamber with zinc oxide eugenal
 Place coronal restoration
 Place stainless steel crown

8. MATERIALS USE FOR MEDICAMENT
 Formocresol
 Ferric sulphate

9. CONTRAINDICATIONS
 Presence of abscess and fistula
 Radicular pulp involvement
 Inter radicular bone loss
 Caries penetrating to floor of pulp chamber

10. PULPECTOMY
 A pulpectomy is a dental procedure in which all of
the material in the pulp chamber and root canal of a
tooth is removed.

11. INDICATIONS
 Irreversible pulpitis involving both coronal and
radicular pulp
 Non-vital primary molars or incisors that need to be
maintained in arch
 Abscessed primary molars
 Primary molars with radiographic evidence of
furcation pathology

12. PROCEDURE

13. CONTRAINDICATIONS
 Teeth with non-restorable crowns
 Extensive pulp floor opening into the bifurcation
 Excessive internal resorption
 Primary teeth with underlying dentigerous or
follicular cysts