Apoorva Patel
MDS – Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics Government Dental College and Hospital, Mumbai
Title: The pulpal response to dental procedures
Biography
Biography: Apoorva Patel
Abstract
“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This holds true for the routinely performed dental procedures as well. The preservation of a healthy vital pulp during operative procedures and successful management in cases of the disease are important challenges for a dentist. The pulp is an organ with remarkable reparative abilities, and the pulpal response varies with the extent and type of stimuli as well as the innate characteristics of the dental pulp and overlying dentin. This response may vary from inflammatory and immune reactions to degenerative changes. Dental procedures like tooth preparation, periodontal and orthodontic procedures, the use of local anesthetics, lasers, and vital bleaching agents, all affect the dental pulp to a certain extent. Also, the use of various dental materials can elicit a distinct pulpal response; depending on the cytotoxic nature, acidity, etc. The clinical practice of dentistry relies on the inherent capacity of the dental pulp to cope with many of the injurious challenges during dental procedures. A better understanding of pulpal reactions to dental procedures would help to prevent the unwarranted insult to the pulp and may reverse the disease process and return the dental pulp to its original form and function.