I still have a vivid memory of this event to this day. Kim Loos Dr. Kimberly A. Loos practices general dentistry in San Jose, California. She is also a clinical instructor at University of Pacific School of Dentistry and an editor for Dentistry On-Line. Dear Benson, Pulp testing includes an exam, radiographs and several other components. These tests help the dentist assess tooth damage after trauma has occurred.
Dentists also use vitality testing to record a baselines for future comparison.
If it is determined that the tooth needs no treatment, regular monitoring of the tooth should be done. If the condition of the tooth changes, the original pulp testing can serve as a baselines for comparison. Pulp testing involves several different components. For example, a tooth with a sharp response to temperature with sensitivity that lasts for more than a few seconds is generally considered to be irreversibly inflamed. If the tooth is irreversibly inflamed, the two treatment options are extraction or root canal therapy.