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.