• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.11c
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• pp.727-730
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• 2003

Electric pulp test is a method to examine the vitality of dental pulp using the electrical stimulation. During the pulp test, the current stimulates intradental nerve, and makes patients painful. Some studies were accomplished to measure the responses of subjects by stimulating over the sensory threshold. In this study, we examined the time delay between pain feeling and stimulation stop in clinical situation. And we measured the activated responses(EMG in anterior belly of digastric muscle, voice, and finger span). As a result, it was verified that the minimum and maximum delay was EMG and voice, respectively. By reducing the excessive stimulus time, the unnecessary pain can be minimized using EMG that has the minimum delay.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.43-49
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• 2004

Electric pulp test is a method to examine the vitality of dental pulp using physical and chemical stimulation. During the pulp test, the current stimulates intradental nerve, and it makes patients painful. In this paper, we measured each activating response EMG in anterior belly of digastric muscle, voice, and finger movement during the pulp test by increasing stimulus intensity gradually. We also measured excessive stimulus time from the activating responses (EMG, voice, and finger movement) to the end of the stimulation. We measured and analyzed excessive stimulus time for each stimulus detecting method. As a result, we developed automatic stimulus breaker using the human responses to stimulus during electric pulp test. We reduced the excessive stimulus time by disconnecting the pulp tester stimulus output rapidly in 10 ms after activating human response.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.683-690
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliablity of laser Doppler flowmeter on the permanent maxillary central incisors with open apex. Laser Doppler flowmeter and electric pulp tests were done in 35 elementary students aged between 8 and 9 years and 35 females and males aged between 23 and 24 years. Teeth with open apex were confined to root developmental stage 5 and 6 by Moorrees classification. The threshold of electric pulp tests was decided the time of tingling sensation. More than three different electric pulp tests applied on every teeth with more than 3 minutes interval between each teeth due to the false response. Laser Doppler flowmeter test stablilzation and observation stages took more than 5 minutes each LDF values and electric pulp test thresholds were analyzed with student t-test. The results were as follows: 1. The electric pulp test threshold on teeth with immature and mature roots showed 28.4% and 100% response respectively, and the the LDF values on teeth with immature and mature roots showed 100% response. 2. The EPT thresholds on teeth with immature roots were larger than thresholds on teeth with mature roots(p<0.01). 3. No significant differences were found in the LDF values on teeth with immature and mature roots.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.278-290
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• 1997

The purposes of this study were to evaluate and compare the pulpal anesthesia induced by an inferior alveolar nerve block and that by Gow-Gates technique, and to investigate the relationship between pulpal anesthesia and intraoral soft tissue responses. After one side of mandibule was anesthetized with inferior alveolar nerve block or Gow-Gates technique using 2 % lidocaine with 1 : 100,000 epinephrine in 19 volunteers of ages between 24 and 29 (16 males and 3 females, average age 25.9 yrs.), electric pulp tests were done on the canine teeth of the anesthetized side and contralateral one before, at 1 min, continued at every 5 minutes until 60 min, and every 10 minutes until 100 min after completion of local anesthetic injection. Degree of pulpal anesthesia was classified as anesthetic failure, possible anesthesia and complete anesthesia by the criteria based on the thresholds to electric pulp test of contralateral canine and the currents of the electric pulp tester. Subjective signs on the lower lip and tongue were checked and prick-pin tests were done on the buccal gingiva of the first molar, buccal and lingual gingiva of the canine tooth at 5, 10 and 20 min after the completion of anesthetic injection. Thresholds to electric pulp test, degree of pulpal anesthesia and relationship between the pulpal anesthesia and soft tissue responses were analyzed with SPSS, paired t-test, Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test and correlation analysis. The results were as follows : No significant differences were found in the peak thresholds to electric pulp test, in the induction time to it and in the depth of pulpal anesthesia between inferior alveolar nerve block and Gow-Gates technique (p>0.05). There was no significant relationship between pulpal anesthesia and soft tissue responses in both inferior nerve block and Gow-Gates technique.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.226-232
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• 2004

Use of electric pulp testing elicits painful response in vital teeth. In this study, we examined the excessive time from pain feeling to stimulation disconnection in clinical situation. D626D (Parkell Inc., USA.) scan type electric pulp tester was used in total of 23 young healthy individuals. Each of the right central incisors and first premolars were used as testing teeth. Stimulation disconnection was achieved by EMG in anterior belly of digastric muscle, finger span, and voice and the excessive stimulation time over the sensory thresh-old was recorded. As a result, we found that the short responses before the stimulation disconnection appeared following order：EMG, finger span, and voice. The EMG disconnection is suggested to be used to reduce the excessive stimulus time in electric pulp testing.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to observe histopathologically the influence of advanced periodontitis on pulp tissue, and to conclude the correlation between the results with clinical manifestations. The samples were teeth with over 7mm pocket depth and over 50% radiographic bone loss. These were diagnosed to have very poor prognosis and thus planned to be extracted. Those with any of following conditions were excluded from the samples, loss of vitality, periapical pathology, restoration or prosthesis, dental caries, and attrition or abrasion. It was because these conditions could affect pulp without any correlation with periodontal disease. For the experiment, 17 teeth from 11 patients were selected. Average age of patient was 47. Each tooth was examined for following categoris; pocket depth, gingival recession, electric pulp test, mobility, percussion test, sensitivity test. The extracted teeth were fixed buffered neutral formalin solution. It was decalcified using 4% nitric acid. Sliced histological samples observed using light microscope, for pulp status, and severeity of inflammation. 4 samples were excluded due to histologic sample discrepency. Thus 13 samples were subject to observation. 4 showed normal conditions. Focal reversable pulpitis was shown in 5 samples. Chronic pulpitis was observed 1 sample. Pulpal abscess was observed in 3 samples.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.562-568
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• 1998

Various diagnostic methods, such as electric pulp test, cold test, test cavity etc., have been used to determine the pulp vitality. At least two or more methods should be used with supplemental information to diagnose each case because using one method doesn't provide sufficient accuracy. These conventional methods have depended on nervous responses, but Laser Doppler Flowmeter determines the pulp vitality by measuring pulpal blood flow. In this case, we tested the vitality of the traumatized teeth with incomplete root apices and autotransplanted teeth with conventional methods and Laser Doppler Flowmeter. Conventional methods, such as electric pulp test and cold test can produce various responses according to the development state of the pulpal nerve and the sensory threshold of the patient. But, Laser Doppler Flowmeter has a lower false response rate than any other pulp vitality test methods and it can determine the vitality somewhat earlier than the other method.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.310-316
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• 1999

In the traumatized teeth, the major complications are pulp necrosis, and root resorption. The factors influencing to prognosis are the state of root development, type of injuries, quality of fixation. There are good prognosis in the case of immature teeth, minor luxation injuries. To minimize of occurrence of these complication, it is very important to determine the pulp vitality. This can help us decide whether or not to treat the teeth endodontically. But, it is difficult to determine of pulp vitality in immature teeth or traumatized teeth. In this case, pulp vitality test was done periodically on the traumatized upper central incisors, and the results were different among cold test, electric pulp test, and laser Doppler flowmetry. The conclusions were obtained from this case can be summarized as follows; 1. Pulp vitality of traumatized teeth should be negative early, but with time going, pulp vitality could be recovered. 2. The positive response of pulp vitality test was detected earlier in laser Doppler flowmetry. 3. Between cold test and electric pulp test, cold test was more reliable in determining pulp vitality.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2012

Background: This study evaluated pulp vitality of anterior permanent teeth using pulse oximetry (PO), which is already used for monitoring of patient's $SpO_2$ and pulse rates (PR). Also we compared with ice tests and electric pulp test (EPT). Methods: 9 teeth, endodontic treated, were selected as non-vital teeth group. 17 vital teeth were selected as control group. Our aim is to compare sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of ice test, electric pulp test and pulse oximetry, respectively. Pulse oximetry has two test results, $SpO_2$ and pulse rates. Also we calculated correlation and statistical significances by Pearson's test between EPT and pulse oximetry. Results: Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV were calculated on each tests. Ice test has results of 1.00, 0.89, 0.94 and 1.00, respectively. EPT has results of 0.94, 0.78, 0.89 and 0.88 respectively. $SpO_2$ has results of 0.94, 1.00, 1.00 and 0.90, respectively. PR has results of all 1.00. Conclusions: PO showed relatively accurate, stable and objective results on both $SpO_2$ and PR. Percentage of ability of accurate diagnosis for vital teeth is 94% for ice test, 89% for EPT, 100% for $SpO_2$ and PR. Percentage of ability of accurate diagnosis for non-vital teeth is 100% for ice test, 88% for EPT, 90% for $SpO_2$ and 100% for PR. In additions, PR could be more accurate and significant tests than $SpO_2$.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2004

Electric stimulation of teeth has been used for assessing pulp vitality. The principle is based upon the assumption that a subject feels the pain produced by electrical current stimulation of intradental nerve. Because of very high and wide range of impedance of the enamel, it is very difficult to determine stimulation levels regardless of teeth status. Most pulp testers adopt voltage stimulation method and thus, their stimulating threshold levels significantly depend on each individual. Therefore, a constant current stimulator is necessary to minimize the effect of wide variation due to different enamel thickness. And it is also necessary to test teeth vitality with a wide current range regardless of tooth impedance. In this study, we constructed a burst-wave type pulp tester to reduce the pain using a current stabilizing circuit with the maximum current of 150 uA.