Modern aspects of the use of hardware methods for diagnosing pulp vitality (Part 2. Non-traditional diagnostic methods)
K. V. Shadrina,
L. Yu. Orekhova,
V. D. Goncharov,
V. Yu. Vashneva,
E. S. Silina,
E. V. Kosova,
A. A. Petrov https://doi.org/10.36377/ET-0085
Abstract
INTRODUCTION. Diagnosis of pulp diseases remains a pressing issue in dentistry, which is determined by their high prevalence and, in some cases, latent course.
AIM. To study new technologies developed for hardware testing of pulp vitality based on modern literature data.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. A systematic search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar, eLibrary, Google Patents. The search depth was 6 years – from 2019 to 2024.
RESULTS. The search in the electronic library databases initially yielded 793 results. After screening titles and abstracts and removing duplicates, 368 articles were identified, assessed by reading their full text, and analysis of whether the publication criteria were met; 65 articles were included in the systematic review. Based on the results preliminary screening and application of the eligibility criteria, 15 publications were included in the qualitative analysis and 7 publications in the quantitative analysis, 43 publications were used to write the introduction text and in the discussion of the study results. Based on the patent search, 4 patents were included in the analysis. Most of the well-conducted and documented studies were devoted to the pulse oximetry method.
CONCLUSIONS. An analysis of modern literature sources showed that the most common methods for assessing pulp vitality are laser Doppler flowmetry and pulse oximetry. Pulse oximetry is the most accurate diagnostic tool. Alternative diagnostic methods are increasingly being explored for their potential to assess pulp vitality. The most frequently mentioned methods in scientific publications for 2019–2024 are: ultrasound Doppler flowmetry, transillumination, magnetic resonance imaging, speckle imaging, tooth temperature measurements, electroodontometry and plethysmography. However, to date, none of the alternative methods for diagnosing pulp vitality have been integrated into clinical practice, indicating an ongoing challenge in creating a reliable approach to assessing pulp vitality
About the Authors
K. V. Shadrina
Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Kristina V. Shadrina – Assistant Lecturer, Department of Therapeutic Dentistry and Periodontology
6-8 Lev Tolstoy Str., St. Petersburg 197022
Competing Interests:
The authors report no conflict of interest
L. Yu. Orekhova
Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Lyudmila Yu. Orekhova – Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor, Head of the Department of Therapeutic Dentistry and Periodontology
6-8 Lev Tolstoy Str., St. Petersburg 197022
Competing Interests:
The authors report no conflict of interest
V. D. Goncharov
Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University “LETI”
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Vadim D. Goncharov – Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Department of Theoretical Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
5 Professor Popov Str., St. Petersburg 197022
Competing Interests:
The authors report no conflict of interest
V. Yu. Vashneva
Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Veronika Yu. Vashneva – Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor, Department of Therapeutic Dentistry and Periodontology
6-8 Lev Tolstoy Str., St. Petersburg 197022
Competing Interests:
The authors report no conflict of interest
E. S. Silina
Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Elvira S. Silina – Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor, Department of Therapeutic Dentistry and Periodontology
6-8 Lev Tolstoy Str., St. Petersburg 197022
Competing Interests:
The authors report no conflict of interest
E. V. Kosova
Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Elena V. Kosova – Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor, Department of Therapeutic Dentistry and Periodontology
6-8 Lev Tolstoy Str., St. Petersburg 197022
Competing Interests:
The authors report no conflict of interest
A. A. Petrov
Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
Alexander A. Petrov – Cand. Sci. (Med.), Assistant Lecturer, Department of Therapeutic Dentistry and Periodontology
6-8 Lev Tolstoy Str., St. Petersburg 197022
Competing Interests:
The authors report no conflict of interest
References
1. Xavier M.T., Costa A.L., Ramos J.C., Caramês J., Marques D., Martins J.N.R. Calcium silicate-based cements in restorative dentistry: Vital pulp therapy clinical, radiographic, and histological outcomes on deciduous and permanent dentition – a systematic review and meta-analysis. Materials. 2024;17(17):4264. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17174264
2. Alfaisal Y., Idris G., Peters O.A., Zafar S., Nagendrababu V., Peters C.I. Vital pulp therapy-Factors influencing decision-making for permanent mature teeth with irreversible pulpitis: A systematic review. Int Endod J. 2024;57(5):505–519. https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14036
3. Duncan H.F. Present status and future directions-Vital pulp treatment and pulp preservation strategies. Int Endod J. 2022;55(Suppl. 3):497–511. https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.13688
4. Patro S., Meto A., Mohanty A., Chopra V., Miglani S., Das A. et al. Diagnostic accuracy of pulp vitality tests and pulp sensibility tests for assessing pulpal health in permanent teeth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(15):9599. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159599
5. Alanazi M.H., Barnawi N.I., Almohaimel S.A., Almutairi M.A., Alanezi O.K., Al bassry A.A. et al. Evaluation of dental pulp testing: Simple literature review. Arch Pharma Pract. 2019;10(3):37–39. Available at: https://archivepp.com/article/evaluation-of-dental-pulp-testing-simpleliterature-review (accessed: 11.03.2025).
6. Almudever-Garcia A., Forner L., Sanz J.L., Llena C., Rodríguez-Lozano F.J., Guerrero-Gironés J., Melo M. Pulse oximetry as a diagnostic tool to determine pulp vitality: A systematic review. Appl Sci. 2021;11(6):2747. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11062747
7. Afkhami F., Wright P.P., Chien P.Y., Xu C., Walsh L.J., Peters O.A. Exploring approaches to pulp vitality assessment: A scoping review of nontraditional methods. Int Endod J. 2024;57(8):1065–1098. https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14073
8. Shadrina K.V., Orekhova L.Yu., Goncharov V.D., Vashneva V.Yu., Silina E.S., Kosova E.V., Petrov A.A. Modern aspects of the use of hardware methods for diagnosing pulp vitality (Part 1. Traditional methods). Endodontics Today. 2025;23(2):258–270. https://doi.org/10.36377/ET-0084
9. Kim D., Ko H.S., Park S.Y., Ryu S.Y., Park S.H. The effects of gingival blood flow on pulpal blood flow detection using ultrasound Doppler flowmetry: animal study. Restor Dent Endod. 2023;48(1):e9. https://doi.org/10.5395/rde.2023.48.e9
10. Park J., Kim Y., Kim J., Song T.-K. Continuous wave dental doppler ultrasound system for measuring pulp blood flow. In: 2021 IEEE Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference (BioCAS). Berlin, Germany, 2021, pp. 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1109/BioCAS49922.2021.9644942
11. Yoon M.J., Kim D.H., Jung I.Y., Park S.H. A laboratory study to detect simulated pulpal blood flow in extracted human teeth using ultrasound Doppler flowmetry. Int Endod J. 2021;54(2):231–240. https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.13410
12. Proulx C., Dumais Y., Beauchamp G., Steagall P. Reliability of electric pulp test, cold pulp test or tooth transillumination to assess pulpal health in permanent dog teeth. J Vet Dent. 2022;39(2):133–141. https://doi.org/10.1177/08987564221076363
13. Juerchott A., Jelinek C., Kronsteiner D., Jende J.M.E., Kurz F.T., Bendszus M. et al. Quantitative assessment of contrast-enhancement patterns of the healthy dental pulp by magnetic resonance imaging: A prospective in vivo study. Int Endod J. 2022;55(3):252–262. https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.13662
14. Xu F., Xie C., Zhang Y., Shi G., Shi J., Xu X. et al. Vertically polarized laser speckle contrast imaging to monitor blood flow in pulp. J Mod Opt. 2021;68(20):1075–1082. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500340.2021.1973604
15. Chistyakova G.G., Dik S.K. Clinical substantiation of the use of laser speckle-optical diagnostics of microcirculation in the vessels of the tooth pulp. Dentistry. Aesthetics. Innovations. 2019;3(3):303–318. (In Russ.).
16. Chistyakova GG. Functional methods for the diagnosis of hemodynamics and neuroreceptor system of tooth pulp. Dentistry. Aesthetics. Innovations. 2020;4(1):98–113. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.34883/PI.2020.4.1.009
17. Ajith Kamath K., Nasim I. Evaluation of laser guided infrared thermometry as an auxiliary tool for pulp vitality assessment-a clinical study. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 2020;12(4):2216–2221. https://doi.org/10.31838/ijpr/2020.12.04.310
18. Mendes S., Mendes J., Moreira A., Clemente M.P., Vasconcelos M. Thermographic assessment of vital and non-vital anterior teeth: A comparative study. Infrared Phys Technol. 2020;106:103232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infrared.2020.103232
19. Thaw Dar O., Kakino S., Kusano M., Ikeda H., Miyashin M., Okiji T. Transmitted-light plethysmography detects changes in human pulpal blood flow elicited by innocuous tooth cooling and foot heating. Arch Oral Biol. 2020;119:104881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archoralbio.2020.104881
20. Knörzer S., Hiller K.A., Brandt M., Niklas A., Putzger J., Monkman G.J. et al. Detection of pulsed blood flow through a molar pulp chamber and surrounding tissue in vitro. Clin Oral Investig. 2019;23(3):1121–1132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-018-2530-y
21. Chistyakova G.G. Evaluation of microhemodynamic disorders in the dental pulp during replacement therapy for wedge-shaped defects. Dentistry. Aesthetics. Innovations. 2019;3(3):327–339. (In Russ.).
22. Cho Y.W., Park S.H. Measurement of pulp blood flow rates in maxillary anterior teeth using ultrasound Doppler flowmetry. Int Endod J. 2015;48(12):1175–1180. https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.12422
23. Ahn S.Y., Kim D., Park S.H. Efficacy of ultrasound doppler flowmetry in assessing pulp vitality of traumatized teeth: a propensity score matching analysis. J Endod. 2018;44(3):379–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2017.10.004
24. Hilgenfeld T., Saleem M.A., Schwindling F.S., Ludwig U., Hövener J.B., Bock M. et al. High-Resolution Single Tooth MRI With an Inductively Coupled Intraoral Coil-Can MRI Compete With CBCT? Invest Radiol. 2022;57(11):720–727. https://doi.org/10.1097/RLI.0000000000000890
25. Jiang X., Fu M., Yang L. Oral craniomaxillofacial scanning device and scanning method and electronic device. Patent ID, CN-111528846-B, filed 30 April 2020, published 14 May 2021 and granted, 14 May 2021.
26. Ertl T., Karazivan N., Savic A. Dental probe. Patent ID, EP-3439542-B1, filed 07 April 2017, published 12 July 2023 and granted 12 July 2023.
27. Tang C-M., Schmitt J. Apparatus and method for tooth pulp vitality detection. Patent ID, US-2023263398-A1, filed 21 April 2023 and published 24 August 2023.
28. Kim H-Y. Dental pulpal vitality assessment system including ultrasound probe and method for assessment. Patent ID, KR-20190089430-A, filed 22 January 2018 and published 31 July 2019.
Review
For citations:
Shadrina K.V., Orekhova L.Yu., Goncharov V.D., Vashneva V.Yu., Silina E.S., Kosova E.V., Petrov A.A. Modern aspects of the use of hardware methods for diagnosing pulp vitality (Part 2. Non-traditional diagnostic methods). Endodontics Today. :422-431. https://doi.org/10.36377/ET-0085
Email this article 