There are several simple tests that may assist in diagnosis of dental pain.
- Pulp Sensitivity Test:
This test can be done by using cold or hot stimuli.
Cold Stimulus is done by using Dry ice, or an ordinary ice stick that is placed in the cervical region of the tooth to detect posibility of pulpal inflammation.
Hot Stimulus is done by heating an instrument and placing it to one of the tooth surfaces.
In both of them, if pain occured and faded away once removing the stimulus indicating healthy tooth, if pain occured and persisted for a few minutes indicating inflammed pulp that must be treated endodontically and if the pain didnt occure indicating a necrotic pulp.
- Percussion Test:
Using an instrument handle, the tooth is tapped in the longitudinal axis. A painful response suggests possible periapical inflammation. (ex: Apical Periodontitis)
- Probing:
Placing a fine, blunt probe (Periodontal Probe) gently into the gingival sulcus surrounding the tooth to check the health of the gingival tissues. Bleeding and/or sulcus depths greater than 3-4 mm indicate a periodontal disease and a pocket which then should be diagnosed to have periodontal treatment.
- Mobility Test:
Holding a tooth firmly on the buccal and lingual sides between a finger and a solid instrument enables mobility to be assessed.
All teeth have a small amount of mobility (<0.5 mm) (Normal Or Mild Movement),
The teeth with movement of (0.5-2 mm) should be splinted (Moderate Movement),
While the teeth with (Severe Movement) of (2-4 mm) should be treated surgically or to be extracted.
- Palpation:
Careful digital palpation around the area of concern may reveal tenderness and the type and extent of swelling. (Usefull in cases of Tumor or Abscess or Soft Tissue Abnormalities)
- Radiographic Examination:
Sometimes we need a radiographic X-ray to detect some underlying abnormalities and possible pain sources.
We use periapical radiographes to check 3 neighboring teeth together and it's usefull to detect the extent of caries, reccurent caries, periapical lesions, crown root ratio and fructures.
We use orthopantomograph (OPG) to check the upper and lower full teeth set and neighboring important structures for abnormalities and possible causes of pain and it's very usefull in cases of impacted teeth, relation between upper teeth and maxillary sinus and presence of oral lesions in bone.
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This Article has been Authored by :: World Of Dentistry :: TEAM
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