eMedicine Specialties > Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery > Oral Medicine

Pulp Polyp: Follow-up

Author: Catherine M Flaitz, DDS, MS, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Dental Branch
Coauthor(s): M John Hicks, DDS, MS, PhD, MD, Professor, Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine; Medical Director of Ultrastructural Pathology, Medical Director of Cytogenetics and Molecular Cytogenetics, Department of Pathology, Texas Children's Hospital
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Nov 5, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Periodic dental examinations are recommended to monitor the success of the root canal therapy or to intercept problems associated with the premature loss of a tooth.
  • Orthodontic treatment may be needed to restore the occlusion.
  • If a tooth is extracted, either a dental implant or fixed dental prosthesis (bridge) is a treatment option to restore function and aesthetics.

Complications

  • Space discrepancy from crown destruction or premature loss of a tooth may result in a crowded malocclusion, supereruption of an opposing tooth, or the impaction of a succedaneous tooth.
  • Without definitive treatment, some of these long-standing, nonvital teeth may progress to symptomatic disease, including periapical inflammatory disease and (rarely) cellulitis and osteomyelitis of the jaws.

Prognosis

  • The prognosis is excellent. No risk for recurrence exists once definitive treatment has been rendered.

Patient Education

  • Reinforce the importance of routine oral health care to prevent the development of deep carious lesions that may cause inflammatory pulpal disease and more serious sequelae.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Teeth and Mouth Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Toothache.

Miscellaneous

Special Concerns

  • Rampant dental caries with or without pulpal involvement may be an indication of child neglect.
  • Although not a problem with most cases of pulp polyp, dental caries with symptomatic pulpal involvement may result in school absenteeism, behavioral and emotional problems, sleep deprivation, and inadequate nutritional intake.
 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous Chief Editor William D. James, MD, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Pulp Polyp

Overview: Pulp Polyp
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Pulp Polyp
Treatment & Medication: Pulp Polyp
Follow-up: Pulp Polyp
Multimedia: Pulp Polyp
References
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References

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  3. Caliskan MK, Oztop F, Caliskan G. Histological evaluation of teeth with hyperplastic pulpitis caused by trauma or caries: case reports. Int Endod J. Jan 2003;36(1):64-70. [Medline].

  4. Caliskan MK, Turkun M, Oztop F. Histological evaluation of a tooth with hyperplastic pulpitis and periapical osteosclerosis. Int Endod J. Sep 1997;30(5):347-51. [Medline].

  5. Camp JH. Diagnosis dilemmas in vital pulp therapy: treatment for the toothache is changing, especially in young, immature teeth. Pediatr Dent. May-Jun 2008;30(3):197-205. [Medline].

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  8. Neville B, Damm D, Allen C, Bouquot J. Pulpal and periapical disease. In: Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2009:120-53.

  9. Piskin B, Aktener BO, Karakisi H. Neural changes in ulcerative and hyperplastic pulpitis: a transmission electron microscopic study. Int Endod J. Jul 1993;26(4):234-40. [Medline].

  10. Smulson MH, Sieraski SM. Histopathology and diseases of the dental pulp. In: Weine FS. Endodontic Therapy. 5th ed. St. Louis: Mo: Mosby; 1996:84-165.

  11. Southam JC, Hodson JJ. Neurohistology of human dental pulp polyps. Arch Oral Biol. Oct 1973;18(10):1255-60. [Medline].

  12. Southam JC, Hodson JJ. The growth of epithelium, melanocytes, and Langerhans cells on human and experimental dental pulp polyps. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. Apr 1974;37(4):546-55. [Medline].

  13. Whitaker SB, Singh BB, Weller RN, Bath KR, Loushine RJ. Sex hormone receptor status of the dental pulp and lesions of pulpal origin. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. Feb 1999;87(2):233-7. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

pulp polyp, pulp polyps, pulpal diseases, chronic hyperplastic pulpitis, proliferative pulpitis, inflammatory hyperplasia, dental caries, reactive pulpal disease, irreversible pulpitis

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Catherine M Flaitz, DDS, MS, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Dental Branch
Catherine M Flaitz, DDS, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, American Academy of Oral Medicine, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, International Association for Dental Research, and International Association of Oral Pathologists
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

M John Hicks, DDS, MS, PhD, MD, Professor, Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine; Medical Director of Ultrastructural Pathology, Medical Director of Cytogenetics and Molecular Cytogenetics, Department of Pathology, Texas Children's Hospital
M John Hicks, DDS, MS, PhD, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, American Society for Clinical Pathology, College of American Pathologists, International Academy of Pathology, and International Association of Oral Pathologists
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Gregory J Raugi, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Dermatology, University of Washington at Seattle; Chief, Dermatology Section, Primary and Specialty Care Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center of Seattle
Gregory J Raugi, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Drore Eisen, MD, DDS, Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Dermatology Research Associates of Cincinnati
Drore Eisen, MD, DDS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Academy of Oral Medicine, and American Dental Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Glen H Crawford, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chief, Division of Dermatology, The Pennsylvania Hospital
Glen H Crawford, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society of USAF Flight Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA, Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and American Head and Neck Society
Disclosure: Covidien Corp Consulting fee Consulting; US Tobacco Corporation unstricted gift unknown; Axis Three Corporation Ownership interest Consulting; Omni Biosciences Ownership interest Consulting; Sentegra Ownership interest Board membership; Syndicom Ownership interest Consulting; Oxlo  Consulting; Medvoy Ownership interest Management position

 
 
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