Diagnosis of Pulpal Pain by Dentists in Nigeria

Abstract

Pain is the commonest reason why patients seek dental help. Majority of the pain are of pulpal origin. Accurate diagnosis of pulpal pain requires good dental history taking, clinical examination and use of diagnostic tests or tools. This study was designed to assess the parameters used by dentists in Nigeria to arrive at a diagnosis when a patient presents with pulpal pain. A self administered questionnaire was given to all dentists attending the basic and clinical update courses of the Faculty of Dentistry, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and The West African College of Surgeons over a period of two years. One hundred and seven dentists completed the questionnaires, comprising of forty-eight (44.9%) male and fifty-nine (55.1%) female respondents. Dental X-ray machines were available in 106 (99.1%) practices while, 36 (33.6%) and 11 (10.3%) had access to electric pulp tester and ethyl chloride spray respectively. Eighty-eight (82.2%) and 104 (97.2%) dentists respectively, always used radiographs and percussion tests in making a diagnosis. Hot or cold thermal sensitivity test was sometimes used by 26 (24.2%) and 17 (15.9%) dentists. 10 (9.3%) of them considered clinical history as a diagnostic criterion. Accurate diagnosis of reversible and irreversible pulpitis was made by 88 (82.2%) and 89 (83.2%) of the study group when given a clinical model. It was concluded that diagnosis of pulpal pain was usually made using radiographs and percussion test, while thermal sensitivity test and clinical history were not frequently used.

KEY WORDS: Diagnosis, pulpitis, pain.

Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol.4(1) 2005: 53-56