Can pulpitis be detected on an X-ray?

　　Pulpitis is typically very painful. Consuming cold or hot foods during the day can trigger severe toothache. Some individuals experience persistent pain with intermittent exacerbations. Others suffer from nocturnal pain—meaning the toothache becomes markedly worse upon lying down at night and progressively more unbearable. Some patients eventually fall asleep only to be awakened by the pain, and may remain unable to rest throughout the entire night. So, can pulpitis be detected on dental radiographs?

　　Can pulpitis be seen on dental radiographs?

　　No, pulpitis itself cannot be visualized on radiographs. The dental pulp is soft tissue located inside the tooth; radiographs only reveal hard tissues such as roots, crowns, and bone. Although the pulp itself is not visible on radiographs, the underlying causes of pulp inflammation often are. These include whether the crown is damaged or decayed, whether caries has progressed deep enough to involve the dental pulp, whether the root is fractured or vertically cracked, and whether there is bone destruction. Radiographs thus provide an overview of the tooth’s relationship with surrounding bone, which—combined with clinical examination—enables a definitive diagnosis. In most cases, clinical evaluation alone is sufficient to identify the affected tooth.

　　Therefore, for suspected pulpitis, radiographs are primarily used to assess the depth and extent of dental caries and to determine which tooth harbors deep caries—especially when caries affects proximal (adjacent) surfaces, where direct visualization is difficult. Radiographs help clinicians accurately locate the carious lesion. Subsequently, combining radiographic findings with thermal testing and the patient’s symptom report allows dentists to more precisely identify the affected tooth and initiate appropriate treatment.

　　If you notice symptoms suggestive of dental disease, seek timely medical evaluation and actively cooperate with your dentist’s treatment plan. We hope this information has been helpful to you.