Page 263 - My FlipBook

EXPOSED PULPS. 259

treatment; but it is rare that any definite beneficial re-
sult ensues. Depletion of the pulp itself may often be
practiced with decided success : and it may be accom-

plished either by puncturing the pulp with a fine-
pointed instrument, or by excising a small portion of
it at the orifice of exposure with a very sharp one,
in either case avoiding laceration of the pulp. By
this means the distended vessels are relieved ; and in
many cases, where the difficulty is but slight, imme-
diately after such relief by puncturing, so soon as the
hemorrhage has ceased, the tooth may be filled. But
if the depletion is by excision, time must be allowed

for the recovery of the incised surface—ordinarily
from three to ten days.
A method of treatment of exposed pulps ; first
introduced to the notice of the profession by Dr.
Allport ; and one which in his hands has proved quite
successful; consists in the excision of a portion of
the pulp at the orifice of exposure, and drawing the
edges of the incised part together, and inducing their
union, and in this manner closing the wound, when

less space is occupied by the pulp than before the
operation. After securing this result the operation
of filling the tooth may be performed ; the same care
being observed, however, as already suggested in cases
of exposed pulp.
The formation of secondary dentine, by which the