Pulse oximetry-working principles in pulpal vitality testing.

Assessment of pulp vitality is a crucial diagnostic procedure in the practice of dentistry and for treating traumatized teeth. The dentists have relied on testing methods designed to reproduce symptoms associated with pulpal pathosis. The methods include thermal stimulation (heat or cold application); electrical stimulation, anaesthetic testing or direct dentine stimulation (test cavity). These modalities falsehood of the ideal pulp tests on several criteria. Direct measure of the pulpal circulation is the only real measure of pulp vitality. The pulse oximeter is a noninvasive oxygen saturation monitoring device widely used in medical practice for recording blood oxygen saturation levels during the administration of general anaesthesia. This article gives an insight into the working principles on pulse oximetry as a puplal vitality aid. Method is based on the Beer-Lambert law, which relates the concentration of a solute to the intensity of light transmitted through a solution.