Effect of tooth isolation on laser Doppler readings. (22nd November 2012) - Setzer, F. C.
Abstract Aim To measure differences between single (STI) and multiple teeth isolation (MTI), pulpal blood flow (PBF) was assessed using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Methodology Pulpal blood flow of twenty maxillary incisors with no restorations or abnormal responses to sensitivity tests in healthy patients between 24 and 42 years of age was measured in perfusion units (PU). STI (isolation of only the tooth undergoing blood flow assessment) and MTI (isolation including the maxillary right to the maxillary left canine) recordings were taken with regular blood flow (RBF) and with local infiltration (LI) with vasoconstrictor. anova and Tukey HSD tests were used for statistical analysis. Results The mean PBF with regular blood flow conditions was significantly different between single tooth isolation [5.53 PU (SD ± 2.98)] and multiple tooth isolation [2.85 PU (SD ± 2.13)] (P < 0.01). When local anaesthesia was administered (LI), the PBF was significantly different between single tooth isolation [2.95 PU (SD ± 2.48)] and multiple tooth isolation [1.32 PU (SD ± 0.70)] (P < 0.05). Significant differences in PBF also existed between single tooth isolation under regular blood flow conditions and with local anaesthesia (P < 0.01), between single tooth isolation under regular blood flow conditions and multiple tooth isolation with local anaesthesia (P < 0.01), and between multiple tooth isolation under regular blood flow conditions and with local anaesthesia (P < 0.05). Conclusions Pulpal blood flow measurements could be obtained with multiple teeth isolation and single tooth isolation. Multiple teeth isolation blocked signal contamination better. Single tooth isolation provided significantly different readings for regular blood flow and LI conditions and may therefore provide an option for pulpal blood flow assessment with LDF.