title: Laser Doppler flowmetry for monitoring traumatized teeth.
abstract: Laser Doppler Flowmetry (LDF) has been shown to be valuable in monitoring revascularization of immature incisors following severe dental trauma. Several investigators have demonstrated the ability of LDF to record blood flow signals from vital tooth pulps. In this case report, LDF was used for a 7-year-old child patient following a severe luxation of tooth #9. During follow-up examinations the traumatized tooth was unresponsive to traditional vitality testing during the first 6 months; however, LDF indicated that revascularization had occurred much sooner. Until recently, CO2 ice has been the most effective method for sensitivity testing in trauma cases such as presented here. In this case, LDF gave us the assurance that we could defer invasive care during a critical time period when root canal therapy might have been initiated for this child patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Administration, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599-7450, USA. jessica-lee@dentistry.unc.edu
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanpiset
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sigurdsson
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Vann
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000098:blood supply; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D014084:Tooth Avulsion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology