Question: What happens when the pulp of a tooth dies?
Explanation: Pulp necrosis is the death of the nerve and blood vessels inside a tooth, usually following untreated irreversible pulpitis or trauma. The tooth often stops hurting entirely, which patients mistake for recovery. In reality, the necrotic tissue becomes a bacterial reservoir. The tooth may darken to grey or brown, lose response to cold testing, and eventually develop a periapical abscess. A necrotic tooth cannot heal itself and does not become healthy again. Treatment is root canal therapy to disinfect and seal the canal system, or extraction.
Related Questions:
Why does a dead tooth turn grey?
Red blood cells from the necrotic pulp break down, releasing haemoglobin and iron. These pigments diffuse into the dentinal tubules, staining the tooth from the inside. The discolouration is intrinsic, so external whitening does not help. Internal bleaching after root canal treatment often does.
Can a dead tooth still get infected?
Absolutely, and it usually does. The pulp chamber loses its blood supply, so immune cells and antibiotics cannot reach the bacteria inside. Those bacteria multiply and exit through the root apex, triggering inflammation and bone destruction around the root tip.
How does a dentist confirm the pulp is dead?
A cold test produces no response. An electric pulp test gives no reading. A radiograph may show a dark area at the root apex. Multiple tests are used together, as no single test is definitive. Comparing with adjacent teeth is essential.
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