Dental pulp test (DPT) or Pulp sensibility testing is a technique in dentistry used to diagnose pulpal health of a tooth. It is a useful and essential diagnostic aid in endodontics. Pulp sensibility testing can be done by either thermal or electrical means in order to assess pulp health according to the sensory response. Pulp sensibility testing should not be confused with pulp vitality tests, like laser Doppler flowmetry and pulse oximetry, which assess the presence or absence of blood flow within dental pulp.
Video Dental pulp test
Types
Electric pulp test
Electric pulp testing (EPT) is done by placing a tester on the to-be-tested tooth along with a drop of conducting paste. Usually the patient's saliva or toothpaste suffices as a conductor of electricity. The electric current is gradually increased until the patient signals a sensation, which consists of clicking or buzzing in the tooth. The test is repeated on neighboring teeth and often on the corresponding contralateral tooth. The lowest perceptible current is recorded for each tooth.
Thermal test
Thermal testing includes applying hot or cold agents (e.g. ethyl chloride) to the tooth.
Maps Dental pulp test
Clinical significance
No response from a tooth generally indicates pulpal necrosis or dental abscess, which suggests root canal therapy or dental extraction. A very quick response compared to the adjacent teeth generally indicates pulpitis and presages pulp death. Similar response to neighboring teeth suggests a healthy tooth.
Gallery
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments