In children, amputation (pulpotomy) of primary teeth involves removing only the infected pulp tissue from the crown (the upper visible part of the tooth) while leaving the pulp in the root canals alive and healthy. Histologically, the pulp tissue of primary teeth has a very high healing and repair capacity because the root tips are exposed; this allows the living tissue in the roots to be preserved, ensuring the natural completion of root development. In adult root canal treatment, however, all the pulp tissue in both the crown and root canals is completely removed, the canals are mechanically widened and disinfected, and then filled with non-viable tissue. In amputation, the root canals are not entered; instead, healing agents such as MTA or formocresol are placed on the cut surface, aiming to keep the tooth in the mouth until the permanent tooth underneath erupts.
