Final answer:
Pulp polyps are seen clinically within the open crown of a carious tooth, where there is an overgrowth of inflamed pulpal tissue due to extensive dental decay. They are an indication of a chronic response by the pulp to dental caries, and their occurrence is restricted to the area within the crown.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pulp polyps, also known as pulpal polyps or chronic hyperplastic pulpitis, are typically seen clinically within the open crown of a carious tooth. They are an overgrowth of pulpal tissue resulting from extensive dental decay that leads to an exposure of the pulp. This pulpal exposure then becomes inflamed but, instead of shutting down and forming an abscess, it grows and protrudes through the carious cavity. Pulp polyps usually indicate a long-term caries process where the response from the pulp has been a productive one rather than a degenerative one.
The structure of a tooth includes the crown and the root. The crown is the visible part above the gum line and is covered with enamel. Underneath, there is dentin and the innermost pulp cavity which includes the pulp chamber. The root contains the pulp canal and is anchored in the jaw bone by cementum and the periodontal ligament. Pulp polyps are therefore restricted to the area within the crown and do not occur at the apex of a tooth, between the roots, or on the buccal aspect of the alveolar bone.
Regarding dental caries, they can affect the dentin or the pulp and if left unchecked, may result in a pulpal polyp. Therefore, early detection and treatment including removal of carious tissue and potential root canal therapy are important to prevent complications such as pulpal polyps or abscesses.