Endodontic diagnosis is similar to a jigsaw puzzle—diagnosis cannot be made from a single isolated piece of information. The clinician must systematically gather all of the necessary information to make a “probable” diagnosis.
When taking the medical and dental history, the clinician should already be formulating in his or her mind a preliminary but logical diagnosis, especially if there is a chief complaint. The clinical and radiographic examinations in combination with a thorough periodontal evaluation and clinical testing (pulp and periapical tests) are then used to confirm the preliminary diagnosis.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO: Step 1 in Endo 101 -- twelve short, easy-to-understand videos that allow you to sit chairside with the clinician throughout the entire endodontic procedure
In some cases, the clinical and radiographic examinations are inconclusive or give conflicting results and as a result, definitive pulp and periapical diagnoses cannot be made. It is also important to recognize that treatment should not be rendered without a diagnosis and in these situations, the patient may have to wait and be reassessed at a later date or be referred to an endodontist.
Dr. Raman Dhungel Explains you the different Diagnostic methods in Endodontics in this brief Powerpoint presentation.
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