Long-term Prognosis of Pulpal Status of Traumatized Teeth Exhibiting Contradictory Results between Pulp Sensibility Test and Ultrasound Doppler Flowmetry: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In this retrospective study, we investigated long-term (over 3 years) follow-up results of teeth that exhibited contradictory results between the pulp sensibility test (thermal or electric pulp test) and ultrasound Doppler flowmetry (UDF) until 1 year after trauma to inspect the prognosis of the pulp. METHODS: Data were collected from the records of trauma patients in our hospital between February 2012 and May 2015. The teeth that had continuously shown contrasting results on the pulp sensibility test and UDF until 1 year after trauma were chosen for the study. Cases with follow-up records of more than 3 years after trauma were finally included, and a retrospective chart review was performed. RESULTS: Data from 343 teeth in 147 patients who visited the hospital with traumatic dental injuries were examined. Among these, 13 teeth from 7 patients were included, and the record of each case was reviewed. All the subjects showed negative responses on the pulp sensibility test and positive responses on UDF until 1 year after trauma. Ultimately, 8 of the 13 teeth recovered pulp sensibility. Two teeth failed to recover pulp sensibility and became symptomatic; root canal treatment was performed on the teeth. The remaining 3 teeth belonged to patients suffering from nerve damage; therefore, the pulp sensibility test was not feasible. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study, UDF can be effectively used for the evaluation of pulpal status in traumatized teeth.