Care of the Pulp Flashcards

(92 cards)

1
Q

what cells are in the pulp?

A

odontoblasts

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2
Q

what nerves are in the pulp?

A

alpha and C fibres

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3
Q

what does it mean if the pulp is a vital tissue?

A

responds to stimuli and has regenerative potential

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4
Q

what are the nerves of the pulp also called?

A

plexus of Raschkow

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5
Q

what are the functions of the pulp?

A

nutrition, sensory, protective, formative

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6
Q

what type of sensations can the pulp feel?

A

temperature, pressure, pain

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7
Q

what type of protective functions does the pulp have?

A

tertiary dentine formation for reparative healing

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8
Q

what is the formative function of the pulp?

A

secondary dentine production

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9
Q

name some injuries that can occur to the pulp

A

caries, cavity preparation, restorations, trauma, tooth wear, periodontal pathology, orthodontic treatment, radiation therapy

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10
Q

how can restoration materials damage the pulp?

A

toxicity, water absorption, heat of reaction, poor marginal adaptation/seal, cementation of restoration

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11
Q

where happens to dentine tubules closer to the pulp?

A

they increase in number and diameter

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12
Q

where is dentine permeability the greatest?

A

at the pulp

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13
Q

what types of cells can pass through dentine tubules?

A

bacterial substances, polysaccharides, antibodies, immune complexes, complement proteins, tissue destruction products

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14
Q

what is the key part of pulpal and periradicular pathology?

A

micro-organisms

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15
Q

what types of pain does alpha fibres feel?

A

sharp pains

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16
Q

what type of pain does C fibres feel?

A

dull/aching pain

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17
Q

what are alpha fibres stimulated by?

A

electric pulp test

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18
Q

what are c fibres stimulated by?

A

increased pulpal blood flow and increased pulpal pressure

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19
Q

what are the two AAE classifications?

A

pulpal diagnosis, periapcial diagnosis

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20
Q

what are the types of pulpal diagnosis?

A

healthy pulp, reversible pulpitis, irreversible pulpitis (symptomatic/asymptomatic), necrotic pulp, previously treated, previously initiated therapy

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21
Q

what are the different types of periapical diagnosis?

A

normal, periapical periodontitis (symptomatic, asymptomatic), acute apical abscess, chronic apical abscess, condensing osteitis

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22
Q

what does a healthy pulp mean?

A

vital and free of inflammation

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23
Q

when are healthy pulps removed?

A

for elective/prosthetic purposes, for traumatic pulp exposure

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24
Q

is a pulp with reversible pulpitis vital or non-vital?

A

vital

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25
what is reversible pulpitis?
inflamed pulp which can be reversed back to health
26
what sort of response to reversible pulpitis pulps have to sensibility test
regular response
27
are pulps with irreversible pulpitis vital or non-vital?
vital
28
what is irreversible pulpitis
inflamed pulp which cannot be reversed back to normal
29
what are the treatment options for irreversible pulpitis
pulpectomy then RCT or extraction if the tooth is unrestorable and patient would prefer this
30
how do you know if a pulp has irreversible pulpitis?
if investigations suggest that pulpal inflammation cannot heal
31
what are the clinical symptoms of reversible pulpitis?
pain to cold, lasts a short time (A fibres), , hydrodynamic expression (microleakage) no change in blood flow
32
what are the clinical symptoms of irreversible pulpitis?
spontaneous pain, intermittent, sleep disturbance, pain to hot (C fibres), increase in pulpal blood flow
33
what is the vitality of a necrotic pulp?
non-vital
34
what is a necrotic pulp?
partial or total necrosis
35
what are the treatment options for mature teeth with a necrotic pulp?
root canal treatment or extraction
36
what are the treatment options for immature teeth with a necrotic pulp?
pulpotomy, pulpectomy then full RCT, extraction
37
what does it mean if a tooth is mature?
the apices are closed
38
what are normal periapical tissues like?
not sensitive to percussion or palpation, lamina dura intact, PDL space uniform
39
what is symptomatic periapical periodontitis?
inflammation of the apical periodontium
40
what are the symptoms of symptomatic periapical periodontitis
pain when biting, applying percussion, palpation
41
what is highly indicative of a degenerating pulp?
pain to percussion and/or palpation
42
what treatment is needed for symptomatic periapical periodontitis
RCT
43
what is asymptomatic periapical periodontitis
inflammation and destruction of the apical periodontium
44
what does an asymptomatic periapical periodontitis appear like?
an apical radiolucency on a radiograph
45
what can symptomatic periapical periodontitis look like on a radiograph?
periapical radiolucency
46
what is an acute apical abscess?
inflammatory reaction to pulpal infection and necrosis
47
what are the symptoms of acute apical abscess?
rapid onset, spontaneous pain, extreme tenderness to pressure, pus formation, swelling
48
what are the signs of acute apical abscess?
malaise, fever, lymphadenopathy
49
do acute apical abscesses show up on a radiograph?
potentially not
50
what is a chronic apical abscess?
inflammatory reaction to pulpal infection and necrosis with a gradual onset
51
what are the symptoms of chronic apical abscess?
little or not discomfort, intermittent discharge of pus through sinus tract
52
what shows on a radiograph with chronic apical abscess?
periapical/periradicular radiolucency
53
how do you identify the tooth affected by the chronic apical abscess?
carefully place GP cone into sinus tract and take a radiograph
54
what is condensing osteitisis?
diffuse radiopaque lesion which represents localised bony reaction to a low-grade inflammatory stimulus
55
where are condensing osteitisis usually seen?
at the apex of tooth
56
what are the signs of a non-vital tooth?
discolouration, sinus, gross caries, large restorations, radiographic evidence (periapical radiolucency and periradicular radiolucency)
57
what types of colours do non-vital teeth display?
yellow, grey, pink
58
what does a yellow tooth mean?
obliteration of dentinal tubules
59
what does a grey tooth mean?
blood break down products in tooth
60
what does a pink tooth mean?
resorptive process, tooth eating itself away
61
where is a periapical radiolucency?
only around the apex
62
where is a periradicular radiolucency?
round more surfaces of the root
63
what is the function of a sensibility test?
to differentiate vital from non-vital pulp
64
how do you conduct a sensibility test?
compare patients response with a contralateral tooth then re-examine same tooth
65
what tests are used for sensibility tests?
electric pulp tests, thermal tests, test drilling
66
what cold test is used as a sensibility test?
ethyl chloride
67
what hot test is used for sensibility?
hot gutta percha
68
what are the problems of sensibility tests?
stimulate nerve fibres but dont assume that nerve fibres in pulp correlates to vital blood supply, they do not indicate the state of the blood supply, tooth vitality is related to blood supply and not nerve stimulation, periradicular inflammation occurs before pulp is totally necrotic, difficulties in testing multi-rooted teeth
69
what does an electric pulp test do and which nerve fibres does it stimulate?
stimulate sensory nerves at pulp-dentine junction, A delta fibres stimulated (C fibres sometimes respond)
70
how do you conduct an electric pulp test?
teeth thoroughly dried, isolate tooth, conducting medium (toothpaste), EPT probe placed on incisal edge or cusp tip, patient completes circuit by holding handle of EPT, current slowly increased, patient indicates when feeling a tingling sensation
71
what is a positive response of an EPT?
vital pulp tissue in coronal aspect of pulp chamber, no indication of reversibility of inflammation, no correlation between pain threshold and pulp condition
72
what is a negative response of an EPT?
reliable indicator for pulpectomy procedure in 97.7% (apart from young pulps or recently traumatised teeth)
73
how do thermal tests work?
by hydrodynamic forces (fluid movement in dentinal tubules)
74
what is the procedure of a cold test?
teeth carefully dried and isolated, place cold object close to pulp horn
75
if a cold test gives a negative response what is it indicative of?
pulpal necrosis
76
what is the procedure of a heat test?
vaeline on tooth, apply hot gutta percha/green stick on tooth
77
what is a negative response to a heat test indicative of?
necrotic pulp
78
when is test drilling used
when full coverage restorations are present
79
how do you conduct test drilling?
no LA given, cut into tooth
80
if a patient reports pain when cutting into the tooth what does this mean
tooth is vital
81
what is an alternative to a tooth drilling test?
spray with cold water and air and assess patient response
82
what influences the clinical factors?
carious pulp exposure, age, periodontal disease, previous pulpal insult/trauma
83
what treatment is usually needed for carious pulp exposure?
RCT
84
what happens to the pulp with age?
continued dentine formation so reduced pulp size and volume, increased fibrous components and calcification, decreased cellular components and number of blood vessels and nerves, pulp less likely to reverse an inflammatory response
85
how does periodontal disease influence the pulp?
moderate/severe periodontal disease results in prematurely aged pulp, pulp in periodontal tooth is less resistant to inflammation than healthy pulp
86
what is the results of previous pulpal insult on the pulp?
tubule occlusion so pulpal fibrosis, premature aging of pulp so less likely to heal
87
how do you maintain pulp vitality?
prevent pulpal damage and treat the pulp
88
how do you prevent pulp damage?
know tooth anatomy, use radiographs, avoid drilling into pulp, cavity close to pulp use sealers, cavity into the pulp use direct pulp cap
89
what are the effects of calcium hydroxide?
bacteriocidal/bacteriostatic, stimulates fibroblasts through a high pH, stimulates recalcification of demineralised dentine, neutralises low pH, cytotoxic, weak cement, soluble if not protected
90
what are the possible treatment options for pulpal damage?
indirect pulp cap, direct pulp cap, partial pulpal removal, full pulpal removal then RCT
91
what is partial pulpal removal called?
pulpotomy
92
what is full pulpal removal called?
pulpectomy