Laser-induced fluorescence in the diagnosis of pulp exposure and the influence of residual dentin thickness: An in vivo study

摘要

Purpose: To clinically (a) determine whether laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) was able to assess pulp tissue health or disease in situations of pulp exposure; (b) evaluate the influence of different pulp tissue conditions upon LIF through dentin thicknesses of <= 1 mm; and (c) explore possible differences between the diagnostic performance of quantitative (q) and qualitative (ql) LIF. Methods: 98 healthy subjects were scheduled for the treatment of caries. Three groups were established according to pulp tissue condition: Group A (n=30 teeth) (deep caries with healthy pulp tissue); Group B (n=30 teeth) (pulp necrosis); and Group C (n=30 teeth) (irreversible symptomatic acute pulpitis). The carious lesions were eliminated, and q and ql LIF measurements were made at two levels: measurement in dentin at < 1 mm from the pulp (A-D); and direct pulp exposure measurement (A-LP). In healthy pulp tissue at level A-LP, eight teeth with accidental pulp exposure were used. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to evaluate the statistical significance of the differences in LIF readings among the three groups. The diagnostic performance of q and ql LIF in application to pulp tissue health or disease was assessed by calculating the sensitivity and specificity of the two tests at level A-LP. Results: A significant correlation was observed between acute pulpitis and an increase in the q LIF values at level A-D (P=0.004), but with no correlation to healthy pulp. Quantitative and qualitative LIF may be useful in diagnosing pulp tissue health or disease in situations of pulp exposure (A-LP).