This study was designed to evaluate and compare the reliability of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), pulse oximetry (PO) and electric pulp tester (EPT) for assessing the pulpal status as a vitality test method by calculating their sensitivity, specificity and predictive values. Data were collected from 59 pairs of maxillary anterior teeth (38 pairs of central, 21 pairs of lateral incisors) in 51 patients (range 12-18years, mean age 14·6±1·73years, 28 women, 23 men). The teeth with complete endodontic fillings constituted the study group, and the healthy, contralateral teeth of the same patients were constituted the control group. The calculated sensitivity was 0·915 for the EPT and 0·813 for the PO. And the specificity of EPT was 0·881 and PO was 0·949. The difference between the LDF values obtained from the study, and control group was statistically significant (P=0·0001). The findings of this study indicated that LDF can reliably discriminate the vitality of the teeth with a sensitivity and specificity of 1·0 for this sample. Laser Doppler flowmetry was found to be a more reliable and effective method than PO and EPT of assessing the pulpal status of human teeth.

The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence, etiologic factors and results of dental trauma and the effects of age and gender on the trauma in permanent incisors. Over a 3-year period, 514 permanent incisor teeth in 317 patients with trauma history, who applied to Suleyman Demirel University School of Dentistry, Department of Pedodontics from the southern cities of Turkey, were evaluated. Standardized trauma forms were filled for each patient. In all age groups, the most frequent cause of trauma was found to be unspecified falls (47.6%). Maxillary teeth (88.5%) and central incisors (87.5%) were the most affected teeth from dental trauma. Ellis class II crown fracture was the most frequently seen type of injury (43.8%). The percent of the patients who applied to a dental clinic in the first 3 days after the trauma occurred (22.8%) was less than the percent of the patients who applied after 3 months and more time period (45.1%). It reveals that it is important to inform the public about dental trauma and the importance of time in these cases.

The diagnosis of the hypodontia should be performed as early as possible, thus alternative treatment modalities can be planned and performed in a multidisciplinary team approach, in order to establish an aesthetic and functional dentition in the future.

Objective: Tooth avulsion constituting an emergency for children and adolescents necessitates management approaches ensuring the survival of avulsed teeth. The aim of this study was to determine the causes of tooth avulsion and to examine some factors affecting the clinical & radiographic assessment of their prognosis after replantation. Methodology: The study sample was created by using archival records of patients who were referred to the Suleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Pedodontics, with complaint of traumatic injuries, between December 1999 and 2008. The information about age, gender, time and cause of the injury, number of affected teeth, the root maturation level (mature/immature), vitality of the affected teeth, condition of supporting tissues, extra-oral time of avulsed teeth, storage media, time of replantation, type and duration of splinting, and healing process was obtained from the patients’ records. Results: The sample consisted of 66 traumatized children who had a total of 93 avulsed anterior permanent teeth. The age of these patients ranged from 6 to 16 years and the 9- and 10-year-old group had the highest incidence (n=25). The most frequent causes were falls (n=24; 36.4%). Thirty-three out of a total of 93 avulsed teeth (35.5%) were replanted. Of the 33 replanted teeth, 3 (9.1%) were stored in milk and 25 were stored in dry media (n=25; 75.8%). Fifteen teeth (45.5%) were replanted within 30 minutes after the injury. After clinical and radiographic evaluation a total of 12 replanted teeth (36.4%) were considered as failed. Ten of the replanted teeth had to be extracted due to progressive root resorption. Statistical analysis showed no significant relationship between the successes of replanted teeth with extra-oral period, storage media, root formation stage, and additional traumas to the supporting tissues (p>0.05). Conclusion: In this study, during the 9-year period, it was determined that 5.87% of all traumatic dental consisted of avulsion injuries. Thirty-three avulsed teeth in 26 patients were replanted, and 12 replanted teeth were revealed as failures. A high rate of success can be obtained when the avulsed teeth are kept under wet conditions and brought to a dental clinic as soon as possible.

The results of this study suggest that a preventive educational programme should be instituted, directed at parents and teachers at nursery schools, in order to inform them about what to do in dental trauma cases and the importance of immediate attendance for dental care.