Evaluation of efficacy of a new custom-made pulse oximeter dental probe in comparison with the electrical and thermal tests for assessing pulp vitality

Abstract

Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive method of measuring vascular health by evaluating oxygen saturation. This study evaluated the efficacy of a new custom-made pulse oximeter dental probe in comparison with the electrical and thermal tests for assessing pulp vitality. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value for each test were calculated by comparing the test results with the actual pulpal status, as evaluated by direct visual inspection. The sensitivity of the pulse oximeter was found to be 1.00, as compared to 0.81 with the cold test and 0.71 with the electrical test. The specificity of the pulse oximeter was 0.95, as compared to 0.92 with the cold and electrical pulp tests. Thus, the custom-made pulse oximeter dental probe is an effective, accurate, and objective method of evaluating pulp vitality.