Pulpitis is inflammation of the inside of the tooth — the soft tissue with nerves and blood vessels. You recognise it by strong, stabbing or throbbing pain that comes on its own, often at night, and lingers for minutes after cold or heat. No painkiller solves it for good — but a dentist does, usually in one or two visits.
Why does it happen? Most often from untreated deep decay, a cracked tooth or an old filling under which decay has returned. Bacteria reach the nerve and inflammation begins.
How we treat it: first anaesthesia — complete, verified, no exceptions. Then root canal treatment: we remove the inflamed tissue, clean and disinfect the canals, seal the tooth hermetically and restore its shape with a filling or a crown. The tooth stays yours — no pain, no extraction.
If left untreated? The inflammation moves to the root tip and bone — an abscess, swelling, sometimes tooth gangrene follows. Treatment then takes longer and costs more. A toothache that has woken you once is an appointment not to postpone.
Price: see the dental price list — root canal is charged per canal, and you receive the exact estimate at the examination.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell nerve inflammation from ordinary toothache?
With pulpitis the pain is strong, comes on its own (also at night), throbs, and a trigger prolongs it. „Ordinary“ pain fades as soon as the trigger is removed.
Does root canal treatment hurt?
No — it is done under anaesthesia. The paradox is that the strongest toothache stops precisely at the practice, the moment the inflammation leaves the tooth.
Can antibiotics cure it?
No. An antibiotic may dampen the inflammation, but the source stays inside the tooth — without root canal treatment or extraction, it returns.
How many visits?
Usually 1–2, depending on the number of canals and the state of inflammation.
Book an appointment — ESTERA, Bokeljska 7, Vračar, Monday–Friday 12:00–20:00, +381 66 378 372 or the contact page. We speak English.
Content prepared and medically reviewed by Dr Nenad Stanković, DDS/DMD, specialist in cosmetology, international lecturer and trainer in aesthetic medicine.