The dental pulp is the soft living tissue at the centre of each tooth, filling the pulp chamber in the crown and the root canals. It contains loose connective tissue, odontoblasts, blood vessels and nerves, which enter through the apical foramen at the root tip. It is the tooth's nerve and blood supply, and the source of its dentin.
| Location | Central pulp cavity of each tooth, from the pulp horns in the crown to the apical foramen at the root tip |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Superior alveolar nerves, CN V2 (upper teeth); Inferior alveolar nerve, CN V3 (lower teeth) |
| Blood Supply | Dental branches of the superior alveolar arteries; Dental branches of the inferior alveolar artery |
| Venous drainage |
|
Forms dentin throughout life, nourishes the dentin through the odontoblast processes and senses stimuli, mainly as pain.
Because the pulp is enclosed in rigid walls, inflammation raises pressure quickly and can strangle its own blood supply, leading to pulp death. Pain from fast A-delta fibres is sharp and short (reversible pulpitis), while lingering throbbing pain carried by C fibres suggests irreversible pulpitis needing root canal treatment or extraction. A dead pulp can become infected and form an abscess at the root tip.
Mild pulp inflammation, usually from decay or a new filling, causing brief sharp pain to cold that settles once the cause is removed.
Severe pulp inflammation with spontaneous or lingering throbbing pain, treated by root canal therapy or extraction.
Death of the pulp from untreated decay or trauma, often painless at first, that may discolour the tooth and lead to a periapical abscess.
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