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Published September 2026

1 of 5A deep cavity in a baby tooth has reached the nerve
  1. A deep cavity in a baby tooth has reached the nerve
  2. Numbed. The decay and the top of the nerve are removed
  3. The root part of the nerve stays. A soothing medicine goes on top
  4. The tooth is sealed
  5. A steel cap usually goes over it in the same visit

Who usually does it

general dentist. Done in general and pediatric offices.

One question worth asking

How will we know whether this worked, and by when?

Indirect pulp cap

Root canalsBasicD3120

D3120. Medicine placed over a thin layer of tooth left to protect a nerve that was nearly exposed.

These are smaller nerve treatments that try to avoid a full root canal. A pulp cap places a protective medicine over a nerve that was exposed or nearly exposed by a deep cavity. A pulpotomy removes only the top part of the nerve, common in baby teeth and as an emergency step in adult teeth.

A pulp cap places a protective medicine directly on a nerve that deep decay has exposed or nearly exposed, then seals the tooth over it. A pulpotomy goes a step further and removes only the top of the nerve, leaving the part inside the roots. Both are attempts to keep a full root canal off the table, and both are common in baby teeth. Most plans file this as Basic. What they actually pay varies by plan.

Codes for this

D3110BasicDirect pulp capMedicine placed directly on a nerve that was exposed while removing a deep cavity.per tooth · Done sometimesD3120BasicIndirect pulp capMedicine placed over a thin layer of tooth left to protect a nerve that was nearly exposed.per tooth · Done sometimesD3220BasicPulpotomy (partial nerve removal)Removes the top part of the nerve and seals it; the usual baby tooth nerve treatment.per tooth · Done oftenD3221BasicEmergency nerve removal for painOpens the tooth and removes the nerve to stop pain, with the full root canal done at a later visit.per tooth · Done sometimesD3222BasicPartial pulpotomy for a young adult toothRemoves only a little of the nerve so the root of a young permanent tooth can keep growing.per tooth · Rarely done

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Indirect pulp cap (D3120): what happens, step by step | TruthMolar