A pulp that is irritated with pain on thermal testing but returns to baseline after stimulus removal is best described as?

• A. Reversible pulpitis
• B. Irreversible pulpitis
• C. Pulpal necrosis
• D. Healthy pulp

Answer: (A)

Distinguishing reversible from irreversible pulpitis based on how the pulp responds to a thermal stimulus. If a tooth feels pain with heat or cold but the pain subsides quickly after the stimulus is removed, that shows mild inflammation with preserved pulp vitality and the ability to recover. This pattern is reversible pulpitis—the pulp is irritated but not permanently damaged, so symptoms resolve once the stimulus is gone. Irreversible pulpitis would show lingering or spontaneous pain that persists after removal of the stimulus, indicating more extensive inflammation and a greater likelihood of needing endodontic treatment. Pulpal necrosis would typically yield little or no response to testing because the tissue is dead, and a healthy pulp would not provoke pain on sensibility testing at all.