Dental pulp response to traumatic injuries--a retrospective analysis with case reports.

The reactions of the dental pulp to traumatic injuries can be extremely varied. They range from almost immediate pulp death to long-term slow pulp canal calcification. In this study the pulpal reactions were divided into three types: pulps with a very poor prognosis that required endodontic therapy soon after the tooth was traumatized. Seventy-nine teeth were studied in this category, and all 79 teeth required endodontic therapy; pulps with a moderate prognosis that required endodontic intervention some 18 to 24 months after the traumatic episode. Forty-eight teeth were studied in this category, and 27 of them required endodontic therapy: pulps with a very good prognosis that rarely required endodontic therapy. Fifty-two teeth were studied in this category, and only 2 required endodontic therapy. The prognosis of a particular pulp depends on the degree and type of trauma.