Down the rabbit hole...

Ever been in this situation, small pit, probe barely sticking, enamel no signs of decalcification, colour is normal, so start with small round bur..slowly it goes in, then suddenly it drops..hits softer tissue..So, you enlarge the access..bigger round bur...and it keeps going..and going and going...

It's like Alice isn't it, in Wonderland, falling down that rabbit hole? It just keeps going on and on..and suddenly you regret not giving LA.It's starting to get sensitive. But you persevere..you see a light at the end of that dark tunnel. It's getting harder, not so soft, not so dark, definitely you can feel it leathery. So you clear up some more. It's really sensitive by now, but you think, heck, just a bit more..almost cleared it all, healthy tissue in sight..

And then it happens..you see it. A small little spot, bright red..darn! Pulp exposed. And there you go, cursing in your head because you told the patient, "It's just a small little pit", and now, there's the possibility of endo and you wished you'd taken a PA, you wish you'd put on a rubber damn. Damn! Too late.

Just line it, fill it, medicate the patient and hope for the best.Either you never see the patient for this tooth again, or patient comes in, a year or so later, with throbbing pain that occurs mostly at night, started with pain to cold, then to hot and now, just all the damn time. Patient can't sleep, can't eat, can't function..so now you give LA, and place a rubber damn lor!

Small pit turned out to be a root canal..