OTHER TECHNIQUES FOR MONITORING OF ORAL CIRCULATION

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the techniques for monitoring the oral circulation in humans and the effects of local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors upon the vascular responses. It illustrates a typical recording of the blood flow as indicated by changes in the amplitude of the blood volume pulse (BVP) of the gingival papilla, recorded simultaneously with digital BVP and other physiological variables. The chapter describes the parameters in response to a standard physiological stress, such as the cold pressor test for 21 subjects. During cold pressor stimulation, apparent vasoconstriction of both papilla and finger is associated with decreased propagation time and increased crest time. This technique has been utilized to differentiate patients with oral disease, such as acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis or trench mouth from healthy controls. The chapter discusses monitoring of the circulation of the periodontal ligament by insertion of the probe through root canals.