(PR28) The Use of Periotest as a Diagnostic Tool in Endodontics

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to use a Periotest device in percussion testing and to compare the device reading between teeth with necrotic pulp and their contralateral healthy tooth. Periotest is a device that has been used in implant dentistry and trauma cases to measure the damping characteristics of the periodontium. The device percusses a tooth and has a numerical readout scale from -8 to +50. The data is objective and reliable based on previous research.

Methods: 80 pairs of teeth (one healthy and one contralateral with necrotic pulp) were evaluated. The inclusion criteria were teeth with necrotic pulp tissue that needed root canal treatment and had a contralateral tooth with normal pulp and normal apical tissue. Teeth with periodontal disease, crown restoration, or history of trauma were excluded. A percussion test was performed using the Periotest device on the teeth with pulp necrosis and their intact contralateral, the data recorded for each sample, and the mean of the test group compared to the mean of the contralateral healthy group.

Results: Student T-test was used for statistical analysis. The mean on the test group was significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Periotest can be a useful tool as an objective percussion test in endodontic diagnosis and can provide needed information regarding the health of the periapical tissue.