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 & periradicular disease
How many diagnoses does each tooth need?
2 diagnoses
What are the two diagnoses that each tooth need?
- pulpal diagnosis
- periradicular diagnosis
(maybe perio & restorative also)
What is the first question to ask your in pain patient?
What is you chief complaint?
When you ask the 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 that is purely pulpal?
Pulpal pain = diffuse pain
How might we describe purely pulpal pain?
Diffuse pain
It is important to understand the ____ before proceeding
Chief complaint
The _____ is what brought the patient here
Chief complaint
The objective of clinical testing is to:
Find and confirm the etiology of the patients CCs
Conclusions in the study “associations between pain severity, clinical findings, and endodontic disease: a cross-sectional study” reveals that percussion hypersensitivity 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 a lowered pain threshold and heightened pain sensitization. It is also possible that the two commonly performed mechanical sensory tests, percussion and palpation hypersensitivity may detect:
Different aspects of endodontic pathophysiology and pain processing
Performed based on chief complaint:
Clinical testing
Some examples of clinical testing include: (5)
- thermal
- EPT
- Percussion
- Palpation
- Periodontal probing and mobility
The thermal test (cold, heat) is testing he:
Pulp vitality
An EPT is only done _______. This test is _____.
Only done if pulpal status is in doubt; NOT done routinely
Clinical test performed by tapping with mirror to detect PDL sensitivity:
Percussion test
Clinical test performed by digital touching of gingiva, detecting for inflammation, redness, swelling and tenderness:
Palpation
Periodontal probing and mobility is testing for:
Periodontal health
Following clinical testing what is the next step?
Obtain radiographs of the suspect areas
When obtaining radiographs of the suspect areas, what is the minimum three diagnostic films that must be taken:
- straight-on PA film
- PA shift shot (20 degree change in horizontal angulation) M or D
- Bite-wing (to determine restorability and bone level)
After obtaining chief complaint, 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 noted pulpal condition?
-deep caries
-deep restoration especially composite
-evidence of trauma
-if virgin tooth- crack
Answering the question of “why?” usually leads to a _____ and 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 tests
- 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 three basic conditions, including:
- normal
- inflamed
- infected
The outcome of “normal” pulp should:
Remains normal and 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 associated with irreversible inflamed pulp:
Pain is lingering and 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 five 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 the X-ray and reported in recent dental history of the area?
PT & PIT
Normal pulp =
WNL
What would the CC of normal pulp likely be?
CC: None (asymptomatic currently & historically)
What would the results of the following clinical tests for a normal pulp be?
- Thermal testing
- EPT
- Percussion
- Radiographically
- Hot-cold WNL
- EPT responsive (similar to other WNL teeth)
- Negative (WNL)
- No radiographic changes
If clinical testing is all normal, minimal or no apparent damage, and no axial cracks in tooth:
LEAVE IT ALONE
Always test 2-3 adjacent teeth _____ to the tooth in question.
Why?
prior; establish a standard base-line
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 remove (NO LINGERING)
-Patient was referred for retreatment of #7 but only #6 and #8 symptomatic (with cold stimulus, not lingering, no spontaneous pain)
-Percussion negative (all three teeth)
-Unsure of radiographic changes
Reversible pulpitis
For the following case, what did the referring DDS miss? (3)
CC: Cold sensitive
Clinical testing:
-Cold sensitivity #6 and #8 - pain relieved almost immediately once stimulus remove (NO LINGERING)
-Patient was referred for retreatment of #7 but only #6 and #8 symptomatic (with cold stimulus, not lingering, no spontaneous pain)
-Percussion negative (all three teeth)
-Unsure of radiographic changes
- failure to listen to patient’s CC
- Improper diagnosis due to failure to perform clinical testing
- No need to do hot (CC was COLD)
Reversible pulpitis may follow 1 if 3 outcomes including:
- if properly treated - may revert to normal
- may remain reversible pulpitis symptomatic for 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 that lingers 15-20 seconds after stimulus is removed
-percussion: negative
-radiographic changes: none at apex
-etiology present on radiograph (large cavity on #6)
Irreversible pulpitis (symptomatic)
SIP:
Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis
- In early SIP _____ hurts > 10 and ____
- In late SIP ____ hurts - ____ helps
- &/or pain might be ______ or ______
- cold; lingers
- hot; cold
- spontaneous; awakes patient from sleep
What stage of SIP is being described below?
-Cold hurts > 10 and lingers
Early SIP
What stage of SIP is being described below?
-Hot hurts - cold helps
Late SIP
What stage of SIP is being described below?
-Pain is spontaneous or awakes the patient from sleep
Late SIP
Normal teeth are NOT sensitive to ____
Hot
Gingiva are _____ sensitive to hot than teeth
More
Hot sensitivity usually indicates _____ = ____
Deteriorating pulp = SIP
AIP:
Asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis
Rarely, deep caries will _____ produce any symptoms, though clinically or radiographically, caries may extend well into the pulp
This is indicative of:
not; asymptomatic 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 asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis.
In such cases ______ is definitely indicated in order to prevent _____
RCT; 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:
-No response to cold, hot or electric pulp tester
Necrotic pulp
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 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 pr pulpotomy, or even a pulpectomy
Previously initiated treatment
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 the pulp to normal
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. Inflamed due to caries (chronic hyperplastic pulpitis) caries excavation (pulp exposure), trauma (fracture with exposed pulp tissue)
AAP (Asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”
-Death of the dental pulp. (No response to pulp tests)
NP (Pulpal necrosis)
Label with the correct pulpal diagnostic “box”
-Tooth has been endodontically treated with canals obturated 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 is 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 nest day as pulp vitality succumbs to challenge
these are all example of:
The diagnosis continually changing