Editing Toothache (section)

===Pulpitis and its sequalae===
In pulpitis, an important distinction in regard to treatment is whether the inflammation is reversible or irreversible. Treatment of reversible pulpitis is by removing or correcting the causative factor. Usually, the decay is removed, and a sedative dressing is used to encourage the pulp to return to a state of health,<ref name=Hargreaves2011 />{{rp|41}} either as a base underneath a permanent filling or as a temporary filling intended to last for a period while the tooth is observed to see if pulpitis resolves. Irreversible pulpitis and its sequalae pulp necrosis and apical periodontitis require treatment with root canal therapy or tooth extraction, as the pulp acts as a [[Locus of infection#Locus|nidus]] of infection, which will lead to a chronic infection if not removed.  Generally, there is no difference in outcomes between whether the root canal treatment is completed in one or multiple appointments.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mergoni |first1=Giovanni |last2=Ganim |first2=Martina |last3=Lodi |first3=Giovanni |last4=Figini |first4=Lara |last5=Gagliani |first5=Massimo |last6=Manfredi |first6=Maddalena |date=2022-12-13 |title=Single versus multiple visits for endodontic treatment of permanent teeth |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |volume=12 |issue=12 |pages=CD005296 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD005296.pub4 |issn=1469-493X |pmc=9747194 |pmid=36512807}}</ref> The field of [[regenerative endodontics]] is now developing ways to clean the pulp chamber and regenerate the soft and hard tissues to either regrow or simulate pulp structure. This has proved especially helpful in children where the tooth root has not yet finished developing and root canal treatments have lower success rates.<ref name=Hargreaves2011 />{{rp|602–618}}

Reversible/irreversible pulpitis is a distinct concept from whether the tooth is restorable or unrestorable, e.g. a tooth may only have reversible pulpitis, but has been structurally weakened by decay or trauma to the point that it is impossible to restore the tooth in the long term.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}