VITALITY TESTS

I. THERMAL TESTS
o Always isolate using rubber dam or at least dry
o Always check contra-lateral tooth – because they have exact similar composition of enamel dentine, pulp nerves, etc. tooth no- 7, 10
o Wait for an appropriate amount of time, 5 secs to avoid misinterpretation, or until the pt begins to feel pain
o Crown & bridge cases – only cold test under rubber dam isolation
o Cold test is the best vitality test than heat test and EPT

A. Cold test
 Cold water bath
 Ethyl chloride ( -5 °C )
 Endo ice – Please correct "dichloro difluoro methane" to tetrafluoroethane ( -30 °C, -21 °F )
 Dry ice – CO2 ice – ice sticks – ice blocks - frozen CO2 ( -77.7 °C, -108 °F )
B. Heat test
 Rotating dry prophy cup
 Heated – warm gp point
 Hot water bath- most accurate

4 RESPONSES
1. No response- non-vital, or recent trauma.
2.Mild to moderate pain, subsides on removal- normal pulp
3. Strong, spontaneous pain, subsides on removal- reversible
4. Moderate to strong pain, lingers after removal of stimulus- irreversible