Evaluation of a laser Doppler flowmeter to assess blood flow in human primary incisor teeth.

PURPOSE This study determined whether the portable Advance Laser Flowmeter Model 21, a clinical instrument, would indicate significant values when pulpal blood flow was present or absent; whether the analog output of the flowmeter was time-linked to the heart rate; and whether labial and lingual crown surfaces produced different flow values. METHODS Teeth were tested under two conditions: with the teeth in situ and extracted, or with the pulp present and removed. RESULTS Values before and after the teeth were extracted, and those before and after pulpectomy with the tooth in situ were significantly different. These findings verified that the flowmeter measured the presence of bloodflow. Peaks of the electrocardiogram waves and the regular signal fluctuations of the flowmeter were time-linked and verified the measurement of the heart rate from the dental pulp. Differences in the values for the lingual and labial surfaces of individual teeth were not significant. CONCLUSIONS This instrument proved a valid means of determining the presence of pulpal blood flow in primary incisors.