A quantitative evaluation of thermal pulp testing

Seven methods of thermal pulp testing were quantitatively evaluated.An electronic circuit was devised that used a glass bead thermistor and a digital display multimeter to record temperature changes in the pulp chamber of an extracted tooth. Of the cold tests studied, skin refrigerant produced a greater thermal change than either an ice water bath or an ice stick. Of the heat tests studied, hot water(from the tap) flooding the tooth produced a greater thermal change than hot gutta-percha stopping, a hot burnisher, or a Burlew wheel.