Trauma Follow-Up Vitality Testing — ORE Part 1 MCQ

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EasyEndodonticsTrauma Follow-Up Vitality TestingORE Part 1

At follow-up after a traumatic dental injury, which approach is most appropriate for assessing the pulp?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: B — Repeat cold and/or electric sensibility tests, using the contralateral tooth as a control

Explanation lettering: E = shown as A · A = shown as B · B = shown as C · C = shown as D · D = shown as E

A is correct. After trauma, assess the pulp with serial sensibility testing using cold and/or electric pulp testing, interpreted against a control tooth. A negative response immediately after injury does not by itself diagnose pulp necrosis because transient neural injury can cause temporary loss of sensibility; responses and diagnostic value change during follow-up. Percussion testing (B) assesses periodontal-ligament tenderness rather than pulpal sensibility. A single initial cold test (C) cannot identify later recovery of sensibility or evolving necrosis. Hot gutta-percha (D) is not the routine follow-up test for this purpose. Waiting for pain (E) is unsafe because post-traumatic pulpal necrosis may be asymptomatic and requires surveillance.

Reference: Bastos JV, Goulart EMA, Côrtes MIS. Pulpal response to sensibility tests after traumatic dental injuries in permanent teeth. Dental Traumatology. 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24112609/