3. Medical History
• Systemic conditions that may produce or
affect the patient’s symptoms
• Drugs the patient is taking: identify possible
adverse drug interactions
• Systemic contraindications to treatment
• Need for premedication and prophylaxis
4. Dental History & Chief Complaint
• What prompted the patient to consult a dentist
in the first place (in the patient’s own words)
• No diagnosis should be included at this stage
• History of present illness/discomfort
• An interview process during which the dentist
attempts to evaluate the patient’s symptoms
accurately, completely, and objectively,
avoiding the temptation to make a premature
diagnosis
5. Open-ended, non-leading questions
• ”Tell me about the problem”
• ”I understand you have been
experiencing cold sensitivity in your
upper front teeth for several weeks, is
that correct?”
Dental History & Chief Complaint
6. Specific questions about the nature of
the symptoms experienced:
• Inception (When the first time)
• Frequency and cource (How often)
• Intensity (Mild, moderate, or severe:
medication, home from work)
• Quality (Sharp, dull, stabbing, throbbing)
Dental History & Chief Complaint
7. • Location (Pointing to the tooth that hurts)
• Provocation factors (heat, cold, momentary or
last longer)
• Spontaneous (without provocation)?
• Attenuating factors (Anything relieving the
pain
Dental History & Chief Complaint
8. • Clinical examination
– Extraoral examination
– Intraoral examination
• Documentation (photo)
– Frontal view of dentition
– Occlusal or lingual (for front teeth) view
– Others as necessary for highlighting aspects
• Radiographic examination
– Dental periapical
– Orthopantomogram in special cases
– CT in special cases
Examination
9. • Any alterations of the color, texture, consistency,
or contour of the soft tissue and should be noted
• The tooth/teeth in question should be inspected for
color changes, caries and restorative status
• Palpation test
• Percussion test
• Mobility test
• Periodontal examination: gentle probing
Intraoral examination
10. Thermal pulp tests:
Cold test
• Cold water bath in rubber dam basin
• Ice sticks
• Compressed gasses: ethyl chloride; 1,1,1,2
tetrafluoroethane (Endo-Ice)
• Carbon dioxide snow
Intraoral examination
11. Thermal pulp tests:
Heat test
• Hot water bath in rubber dam basin
• Warm gutta-percha
Intraoral examination
12. Electric pulp tests:
• Electric excitation to stimulate the Aδ
sensory fibers within the pulp
• Does not provide any information about the
health or integrity of the pulp; it simply
indicates that there are vital sensory fibers
present within the pulp
Intraoral examination
13. Special tests:
• Crown removal for inspection
• Selective anesthesia test
• Test cavity for sensitivity
• Transillumination for caries and physical
defects
Intraoral examination
14. • Diagnostic radiography should be used only
after the history is recorded and the clinical
examination is accomplished
Limitations
• Provides a two-dimensional portrayal of a
three-dimensional reality
• Cannot be used to determine the status of
the health and integrity of the pulp
Radiographic examination
16. • Treatment plan
• Short term and long term
• Treatment
• Immediate and permanent
• Documentation (photo)
• As necessary for highlighting aspects of
treatment
• Final: occlusal or lingual (for front teeth) view
of restored tooth
• Prognosis
• Endodontic and dental
• Success rate for the relevant diagnosis
and treatment selected
17. Discussion: Assessment and
Evaluation
• Assessment of the treatment outcome in this
particular case
• Reasons for making the diagnosis and treatment plan
• Evaluation of the treatment chosen
• Factors influencing the treatment outcome in this
case
• Was there any alternative treatment? And what
would happen if another treatment had been chosen
