Clinical comparison of sensitivity and specificity between sensibility and vitality tests in determining the pulp vitality of mandibular premolars.

Abstract

This clinical study was designed to compare cold pulp testing (CPT), heat pulp testing (HPT) and electric pulp test (EPT) with pulse oximetry (PO), flowmetry (FM) and thermometry (TM) in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Twenty premolar teeth in need of root canal treatment were included in the study. Pulp sensibility tests (CPT, HPT and EPT) along with vitality tests (PO, FM and TM) were performed. As the gold standard, the teeth were endodontically treated and pulp vitality was determined by direct visual observation. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy values for each test were as follows: HPT 1, 1, 100%; CPT 1, 0.818, 90%; EPT 1, 0.909, 95%; PO 1, 0.545, 75%; TM 0.111, 0.272, 20%; and FM 0.444, 0.272, 35%, respectively. The most accurate test among all was HPT. PO was the most accurate vitality test.