Does pulpitis require tooth extraction?

Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
Updated on September 03, 2024
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Pulpitis does not require tooth extraction but necessitates root canal treatment. Pulpitis is a symptom caused by deep dental decay and bacterial infection reaching the dental nerves, manifesting as pain when eating or nocturnal pain. The inflammation in pulpitis is confined within the pulp and does not affect the root apex area. This infection can be resolved through comprehensive root canal treatment. The treatment begins with nerve devitalization; after the nerve is killed, infected dental tissues are removed using a drill, extracting the purulent dental nerve. Subsequently, medication is applied in the root canal. After inflammation is controlled, the root canal is filled. After treatment, the tooth affected by pulpitis can be preserved without extraction.

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Dentistry
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Can pulpitis be cured?

Pulpitis is a condition that arises from the further progression of dental caries, which is a defect in the hard tissues of a tooth caused by bacterial infection. If the caries is not treated in time to stop its further progression, bacteria will further infect and cause inflammation of the dental nerve, also known as the pulp tissue. The innermost part of a tooth contains the dental nerve, surrounded by hard dental bone and dentin. Therefore, once the dental nerve becomes inflamed, the pain can be very severe. However, pulpitis can improve after root canal treatment, meaning it is curable, but it requires root canal treatment of the tooth. If not treated promptly, it will not heal on its own. If pulpitis is not treated in time, it can further progress to form periapical abscess, and in severe cases, it can cause facial swelling.

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Pulpitis has no time to treat.

Pulpitis needs to be treated as soon as possible. If pulpitis is not treated in time, it will worsen, and bacteria will further infect, reaching the apical area and causing apical periodontitis. Severe apical periodontitis may involve destructive resorption of the apical area and the alveolar bone, and inflammation may discharge pus through the mucous membrane or skin. Clinically, symptoms such as abscesses or space infections may occur, which is quite severe and can even cause systemic septicemia. Therefore, pulpitis needs to be treated as soon as possible. The treatment of pulpitis involves removing the infected dental nerve, medicating the root canal, and performing root canal filling, that is, a complete root canal treatment.

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Do I go to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for pulpitis?

Pulpitis requires a visit to the department of stomatology or the department of dental cariology and endodontics. Some hospitals, with more detailed department divisions, differentiate between adults and children. Generally, individuals under 18 years old fall under the pediatric dentistry department. Those 18 and older need to visit the department of dental cariology and endodontics. Pulpitis is a painful condition caused by bacterial infection of the dental nerve, clinically manifested by pain when eating, night-time pain, localized pain, and worsening pain upon exposure to hot and cold stimuli. Treatment for pulpitis involves root canal therapy. This involves drilling to remove the infected dental tissue, then performing root canal medicament filling, followed by inflammation control and root canal filling.

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Can pulpitis be detected with an X-ray?

Pulpitis is divided into normal pulpitis and retrograde pulpitis. Normal pulpitis is a further development from bacterial infection of the hard tissues of the tooth to the pulp tissues, which means it can be captured on an X-ray. It mainly presents as a low-density image near the pulp. This stage of pulpitis is normal, developed through the normal pathway, and can be identified on an X-ray. If the pulpitis is due to the development of a periodontal pocket, bacteria infect the root apex area retrogradely through the periodontal pocket, causing pathological changes in the pulp tissue of the root apex area. Retrograde pulpitis cannot be detected on an X-ray.

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How is pulpitis caused?

Pulpitis is generally caused by the progression of dental caries. Bacteria infect the hard tissues of the tooth, which is referred to as dental caries in the early stages. If the decayed parts are not removed in time for dental filling, meaning the teeth are not filled promptly, the bacteria will further infect the pulp tissue, leading to pulpitis. Pulpitis is actually the outcome of further bacterial development. However, if pulpitis is not treated in time, the inflammation can advance to the root apex, causing apical periodontitis. Therefore, pulpitis requires prompt endodontic treatment of the tooth. After controlling the inflammation, the root canal is filled. Following the filling of the root canal, the top of the tooth crown is sealed, which involves the filling of the tooth.