PULP CAPPING

Any dental treatment such as pulp capping is an attempt to stabilise a 
deteriorating situation.
If pulp capping has been performed on your tooth, this page attempts to explain
the reason why and what should happen after the pulp capping, as well as the
symptoms you may feel.

WHY WAS THE TOOTH PULP CAPPED ?

Decay was removed from the tooth, however the decay was so deep that it had reached the tissue called the pulp or nerve of the tooth. The pulp exposure would have been visible as a tiny red spot on the floor of the cavity in your tooth. 

THE PROCEDURE OF PULP CAPPING

The tooth was assumed to be still healthy enough to repair itself, so a small amount of special paste containing calcium and antibiotics is placed over the exposure.  A filling was then placed in the tooth.  A normal filling or a temporary white filling is chosen depending on how deep
or extensive the decay.
 

THE PURPOSE OF PULP CAPPING

The aim is to encourage the tooth to repair itself by stimulating the pulp to 
bridge the opening with new dentine.  The calcium merely stimulates the cells 
that form new dentine. If it works, you still have a tooth with a relatively healthy nerve!
If there has been an onset of infection in the pulp, the healing process may not 
be successful. 
 

THE SYMPTOMS YOU MAY FEEL

On the first day, the tooth may be very tender.  A slight throb is common and 
should be relieved by Aspirin or Paracetemol.  The tooth will be sensitive to cold, 
but not so much to heat.  These sypmtoms should disappear  within a day or so. 
 

WILL IT WORK?

Time is the essence!  Hopefully, the pain will reduce and the tooth will return
to normal.  If the pain increases dramatically with heat or becomes increasingly
sensitive to bite on, your tooth may require further treatment. 
Contact the surgery for advice. A course of antibiotics may be required.

You may have to consider the choice between having an extraction or root canal treatment.
Root canal treatment will relieve the pain, and you will still have the tooth
in your mouth, where it was intended to be!

The main thing to remember is do not panic.

Your expected symtoms are a normal part of the healing process.  If the pulp capping 
does not work (there are no biological promises) other treatment is available.
Relief is only a telephone call away.