Pulse oximetry: a useful test for evaluating pulp vitality in traumatized teeth

Area of Science:

• Dental Traumatology
• Endodontics
• Diagnostic Technologies

Background:

• Subjective pulp tests are unreliable for traumatized teeth, potentially leading to misdiagnosis.
• Objective diagnostic methods are needed for accurate pulp status evaluation in dental trauma.
• Pulse oximetry (PO) presents a promising objective approach to assess pulp vitality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of pulse oximetry (PO) in determining pulp vitality in traumatized teeth.
• To analyze oxygen saturation (%SpO2) measurements for pulp status assessment post-trauma.
• To compare PO results with clinical outcomes and conventional pulp testing.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-nine permanent teeth with lateral luxation unresponsive to cold tests were selected.
• Pulse oximetry (PO) was used to measure oxygen saturation (%SpO2) at 7, 30, and 60 days post-trauma.
• Teeth were categorized into healthy pulp (HP), pulpitis (PP), and pulp necrosis (PN) groups based on %SpO2 readings.

Main Results:

• Low oxygenation rates (≤77%SpO2) identified 8 teeth at 7 days, increasing to 10 by 30 and 60 days, correlating with pulp necrosis (PN).
• Healthy pulps (HP) showed ≥90%SpO2, and pulpitis (PP) showed 78-89%SpO2.
• Teeth with low %SpO2 (PN group) required endodontic treatment, while others eventually responded positively to cold tests.

Conclusions:

• Pulse oximetry (PO) is highly valuable for assessing dental pulp status in traumatized teeth.
• PO provides a reliable objective measure, especially when teeth are non-responsive to cold tests and show no signs of necrosis.
• This method aids in accurate diagnosis and treatment planning for dental trauma.