Lecture 4 (9/12) Flashcards
Can cold testing be done with crowns?
yes
It is ____ to often present as PURELY pulpal
unlikely
What diseases go hand-in-hand?
Pulpal disease & peri-radicular disease
How many diagnoses does each tooth need?
2 diagnoses
What are the diagnoses that each tooth needs?
- pulpal diagnosis
- peri-radicular diagnosis
(maybe perio & restorative also)
What is the first question to ask your patient that is in pain?
what is your chief complaint?
When you ask a patient to point to the tooth that hurts, you are asking them if they can:
localize the source of pain
If the source of pain is purely pulpal, your patient will likely:
be unable to localize the source of pain
Why might the patient be unable to localize the source of pain if it is purely pulpal?
pulpal pain = diffuse pain
How might we describe purely pulpal pain?
diffuse pain
It is important to understand ____ before proceeding
the chief complaint
The ____ is what brought the patient here
chief complaint
The objective of clinical testing is to:
find & confirm the etiology of the patient’s CC
Conclusions in the study “Associations between Pain Severity, Clinical Findings, and Endodontic Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study” reveals that percussion hypersensitive on healthy adjacent tooth may reveal a:
lowered pain threshold and heightened pain sensitization
Conclusions in the study “Associations between Pain Severity, Clinical Findings, and Endodontic Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study” reveals that percussion hypersensitive on healthy adjacent tooth may reveal a lowered pain threshold and heightened pain sensitization. It is also possible that the two commonly performed mechanical sensory tests, percussion and palpation sensitivity, may detect:
different aspects of endodontic pathophysiology and pain processing
Performed based on CC:
clinical testing
Some examples of clinical testing include: (5)
- Thermal
- EPT
- Percussion
- Palpation
- Periodontal probing & mobility
A thermal test (cold, heat) is testing the:
pulp vitality
An EPT is only done _____. This test is ____.
Only done if the pulpal status is in doubt. This test is NOT done routinely
Clinical test performed by tapping with mirror to detect PDL sensitivity:
percussion test
Clinical test performed by digital touching of gingival (detecting for inflammation, redness, swelling, & tenderness):
palpation
Periodontal probing and mobility is testing for:
periodontal health
Following clinical testing, what is the next step?
Obtain radiographs of suspect areas
When obtaining radiographs of the suspect areas, what is the minimum 3 diagnostic films that must be obtained?
- Straight-on PA film
- PA shift shot (20 degree change in horizontal angulation) M or D
- Bite-wing (to determine restorability & bone level)
After obtaining CC, clinical testing, and obtaining radiographs of suspect areas, you next:
Examine the collected data
What should you ask yourself when examining the collected data?
- have you interpreted the test results correctly?
- have you identified the radiographic results correctly?
- do results support the CC?
- is there a reason for the pulpal condition noted?
What might be some possible reasons for the pulpal condition?
- deep caries
- deep restoration (especially composite)
- evidence of trauma
- if virgin tooth - crack
Answering the question of “WHY?” usually leads to an ____ and a more _____.
accurate diagnosis; successful treatment outcome
How many diagnoses do you need for a tooth in endodontics?
two
It is uncommon to have a PA lesion on a radiograph for a tooth with inflamed pulp and early necrosis (T/F)
True
Reversible pulpitis would exhibit ____?
Cold sensitivity (non-lingering)
What is the diagnosis you would make for the following findings:
a) No PARL
b) sensitive to cold (non-lingering)
c) normal PDL
d) no heat sensitivity
e) no swelling
f) no response to percussion test
- reversible pulpitis
- symptomatic irreversible pulpitis
- asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis
- necrotic pulp
reversible pulpitis
You always test the suspected tooth first when doing sensitivity tests (T/F)
false
When evaluating pulpal status, it may be helpful to think of the pulp existing in only 3 basic conditions including:
- normal
- inflamed
- infected
The outcome of “normal” pulp should:
remains normal & healthy
What are the two categories of inflamed pulp?
- Reversible
- Irreversible
The outcome of “inflamed” pulp could:
recover or deteriorate
If someone presents with reversible inflamed pulp, what are your options? What is the outcome?
No treatment (if asymptomatic) or treatment (if symptomatic)
Recovery
If someone presents with irreversible inflamed pulp, it is most likely ____ but can be ____ (rare)
symptomatic; asymptomatic (rare)
Describe the pain with irreversible inflamed pulp?
pain is lingering & often spontaneous
Lingering and often spontaneous pain describes:
irreversible inflamed pulp
What is the outcome of infected pulp?
will proceed to necrosis
If we think of pulp as a separate entity, we end up with a total of 5 pulpal diagnostic “boxes” including:
- WNL (Normal pulp)
- RP (Reversible pulpitis)
- SIP (symptomatic irreversible pulpitis)
- AIP (asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis)
- N (Necrotic pulp)
What are two additional “diagnostic boxes” pertaining to the pulp that are easily seen on x-ray and reported in recent dental history of the area:
PT & PIT
Normal pulp =
WNL
What would the chief complaint of normal pulp likely be?
CC: None (asymptomatic currently & historically)
What would the results of the following clinical tests be for a normal pulp?
- Thermal testing
- EPT
- Percussion
- Radiographically
- Hot-cold WNL
- responsive - similar to other WNL teeth
- negative- WNL
- no radiographic changes
If clinical testing is all normal, minimal or no apparent damage to tooth, and no axial cracks on tooth:
LEAVE IT ALONE
Always test 2-3 adjacent teeth ___ to the tooth in question.
Why?
prior; to establish standard baseline
What would the diagnosis be for the following case:
CC: Cold Sensitive
Clinical testing:
- cold sensitivity #6 and #8- pain relieved almost immediately once stimulus is removed (does NOT linger)
- Pt was referred for pretreatment of #7, BUT only #6 and #8 symptomatic (with cold stimulus, no lingering, no spontaneous pain)
- Percussion negative (all 3 teeth)
- Unsure of radiographic changes
Reversible pulpitis
CC: Cold Sensitive
Clinical testing:
- cold sensitivity #6 and #8- pain relieved almost immediately once stimulus is removed (does NOT linger)
- Pt was referred for pretreatment of #7, BUT only #6 and #8 symptomatic (with cold stimulus, no lingering, no spontaneous pain)
- Percussion negative (all 3 teeth)
- Unsure of radiographic changes
What did the referring DDS miss?
- failure to LISTEN to the patients CC
- Improper Dx due to failure to do clinical testing
- No need to do hot (CC was COLD)
Reversible pulpitis may follow one of three outcomes including:
- if properly treated- may revert to normal
- May remain RP symptomatic for an extended period
- May deteriorate to SIP or AIP (even if properly treated)
RP:
Reversible pulpitis
What would the diagnosis be for the following case:
CC: Cold sensitive
Clinical Testing:
- Cold sensitivity #6 only- LINGERS 15-20 sec after stimulus is removed
- Percussion Negative
- Radiographic Changes: None at apex
- Etiology present on radiograph (large cavity)
Irreversible pulpitis (symptomatic)
SIP:
symptomatic irreversible pulpitis
- In early SIP, ____ hurts >10 and ___
- Late SIP, ____ hurts, ____ helps
- &/OR Pain might be ___ or ___
- cold; lingers
- hot; cold
- spontaneous or awakens patient from sleep
What stage of SIP is being described below?
- Hot hurts and cold helps
Late SIP
What stage of SIP is being described below?
- Cold hurts and lingers greater than 10 seconds
Early SIP
What stage of SIP is being described below?
Pain is spontaneous and awakens patient from sleep
Late SIP
Normal teeth are NOT sensitive to ____.
hot
Gingiva are ___ sensitive to hot than teeth
more
Hot sensitivity usually indicates a:
deteriorating pulp= SIP
AIP:
Asymptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis
Rarely, deep caries ____ produce any symptoms, though clinically or radiographically, caries may extend well into the pulp.
This is indicative of:
will not; extend well into the pulp
irreversible pulpitis
Rarely, deep caries will not produce any symptoms, though clinically or radiographically, caries may extend well into the pulp. This is indicative of irreversible pulpitis.
In such cases, ___ is definitely indicated in order to _____.
RCT; prevent a later exacerbation
NP:
Necrotic Pulp
What would the diagnosis be for the following case:
CC: May be currently asymptomatic- usual history of symptomatic previously
Clinical Testing:
Cold Sensitivity: No response to cold, hot, or electric pulp tester
Necrotic Pulp (NP)
Describe the results to cold, hot, and electric pulp testing with a necrotic pulp:
No response to any
PT:
Previously Treated
PIT:
Previously Initiated Treatment
How would you label this tooth:
Obturated with final RC filling materials other than medicaments which is not healing or requires remedial treatment of some type.
PT
For a previously treated tooth:
Obturated with final RC filling materials other than medicaments which is not healing or requires remedial treatment of some type. This becomes a ____ or a ____ or simply ___ & replacement.
non-surgical retreatment; surgical RETX; extraction
In a previously initiated treatment, the tooth has been previously treated by:
partial endodontic therapy
How would you label this tooth?
A failed pulp cap or pulpotomy, or even a pulpectomy:
Previously Initiated Treatment (PIT)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”:
Pulp is symptom free with normal response to pulp tests:
WNL (normal pulp)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”:
Inflammation of the pulp based on subjective and objective findings that should resolve and return to normal pulp:
RP (reversible pulpitis)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”:
Vital inflamed pulp that is incapable of healing (i.e. lingering pain to cold, sensitivity to heat, spontaneous pain)
SIP (symptomatic irreversible pulpitis)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”:
Vital inflamed pulp incapable of healing. No clinical symptoms (i.e. inflamed due to caries - chronic hyperplastic pulpitis, caries excavation- pulp exposure, trauma- fracture with exposed pulp tissue)
AAP (symptomatic pulpitis)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”:
Death of the dental pulp- no response to pulp test
NP (necrotic pulp)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”:
Tooth has been endodontically treated with canals obdurated with final root canal filling materials other than medicaments:
PT (previously treated)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”:
Tooth has been previously treated by partial endodontic therapy. i.e. pulp cap, pulpotomy/pulpectomy. RCT not completed:
PIT (previously initiated treatment)
Always remember, everything in diagnosis is:
continually changing
- a pain which is diffuse today may be localized tomorrow
- a severe cold sensitivity may abate overnight
- the same tooth may become newly sensitive to bite the next day as pulp vitality succumbs to challenge
These are all examples of:
The diagnosis continually changing