What diagnostic feature is associated with a tooth undergoing acute irreversible pulpitis?

What diagnostic feature is associated with a tooth undergoing acute irreversible pulpitis?

• A. Numbness in surrounding tissues
• B. Negative percussion test
• C. Response to cold lasting longer than normal
• D. Gradual onset of swelling

Answer: (C)

The characteristic feature associated with acute irreversible pulpitis is a response to cold stimulus that lasts longer than normal. In this condition, the pulp tissue is inflamed and unable to resolve the irritation, leading to heightened sensitivity. When cold is applied, a person with irreversible pulpitis will often experience intense pain that lingers after the cold stimulus is removed, indicating that the condition has progressed beyond reversible pulpitis. This prolonged pain is a key diagnostic sign, as it differentiates irreversible pulpitis from other dental conditions where the pain response may be shorter or less severe. Other options would not present the same way. For example, numbness in surrounding tissues could suggest nerve involvement or another dental pathology, but isn't specifically indicative of pulpitis. A negative percussion test would typically indicate no inflammation or infection in the surrounding periodontium, which is not consistent with acute pulpitis, where percussion sensitivity is often present. Gradual onset of swelling could be seen in various dental issues, but in acute irreversible pulpitis, the response to cold is more definitive for diagnosis.

The characteristic feature associated with acute irreversible pulpitis is a response to cold stimulus that lasts longer than normal. In this condition, the pulp tissue is inflamed and unable to resolve the irritation, leading to heightened sensitivity. When cold is applied, a person with irreversible pulpitis will often experience intense pain that lingers after the cold stimulus is removed, indicating that the condition has progressed beyond reversible pulpitis. This prolonged pain is a key diagnostic sign, as it differentiates irreversible pulpitis from other dental conditions where the pain response may be shorter or less severe.

Other options would not present the same way. For example, numbness in surrounding tissues could suggest nerve involvement or another dental pathology, but isn't specifically indicative of pulpitis. A negative percussion test would typically indicate no inflammation or infection in the surrounding periodontium, which is not consistent with acute pulpitis, where percussion sensitivity is often present. Gradual onset of swelling could be seen in various dental issues, but in acute irreversible pulpitis, the response to cold is more definitive for diagnosis.