Lecture 10: Use & Interpretation of EPT & Apex Locator

Question 1

T/F: The EPT is NOT a primary or routine clinical testing instrument

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The EPT is an ____ to thermal pulp sensitivity testing (if we don’t get a definitive result from the thermal testing)

Answer 2

ADJUNCT

Question 3

T/F: If we get a good result with thermal testing, don’t bother with EPT

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The EPT is an electrical device designed to reveal a response of _____ to the passage of a current

Answer 4

nerve fibers in the pulp

Question 5

What is the scale EPT measures on:

Answer 5

0-80

Question 6

A response by the pulp to the electric current only denotes that _____ are present in the pulp and capable of responding at that time (NOTHING MORE)

Answer 6

some functioning nerve fibers

Question 7

What should be done prior to using EPT?

Answer 7

1. Dry the teeth and ISOLATE with cotton rolls
2. Place a small dab of toothpaste (conductor) on facial of each tooth to be tested
3. develop a base-line

Question 8

The toothpaste dabbed on the teeth, prior to use of an EPT serves as an:

Answer 8

conductor

Question 9

What is extremely important to do prior to EPT results?

Answer 9

Develop a baseline

Question 10

List some false positives with EPT:

Answer 10

1. You touched the gingiva
2. You failed to isolate and dry the area
3. Toothpaste slopped onto an adjacent tooth
4. Patient is not giving correct response for various reasons or is confused
5. You failed to achieve good contact at the tip
6. Patient failed to get good contact with their finger
7. The tooth has extreme calcification and DNR
8. The patient has high pain threshold and DNR
9. Battery on EPT is broken or dead

Question 11

T/F: All tissues following trauma have some degree of loss of normal response for a certain time period

Answer 11

True

Question 12

In undeveloped (immature) pulp, tissue and teeth will often show:

Answer 12

no response yet be fully vital but lack innervation

Question 13

When reading apex locator, where are we located if we get “intermittent BEEP and NO red lines”

Answer 13

Somewhere within the canal SHORT of the PDL

Question 14

When reading the apex locator, if we are barely patient in the PDL this will display as:

Answer 14

1 red line + solid tone

Question 15

What indicates a “false negative”

Answer 15

Failure to have good contact on tip of tooth

Question 16

What does EAL tell us?

Answer 16

in the pulp canal AND in the PDL

Question 17

T/F: The only time we use EPT is when thermal testing is inconclusive

Answer 17

True

Question 18

T/F: The EPT is used to determine the disease status and health of the PDL/Pulp

Answer 18

False

Question 19

How many teeth do you check to get a baseline?

Answer 19

2-3 or more

Question 20

The canal is patent when a ____ goes ______

Answer 20

10 file; slightly beyond the canal exit (0.5 mm)

Question 21

The apex locator helps us locate:

Answer 21

the canal exit clinically

Question 22

What does a single red line on the apex locator denote?

Answer 22

patency