Electric Pulp Test Results of Adult Maxillary Teeth: Demographic Comparison

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine baseline average electric pulp test (EPT) scores of at least eight maxillary teeth in fifty subjects of different age categories, sex, BMI, and race.

Methods: An initial oral exam was given to the subject to ensure at least eight natural maxillary teeth qualified. Demographic information was collected from a survey. EPT score was recorded using an EPT machine (SybronEndo Vitality Scanner Model 2006).  Numerical score was recorded when subject felt any sensation in the tooth. A lower numerical reading corresponded to a more sensitive tooth. 

Results: The data showed that subjects over the age of fifty had lower average EPT scores (41.17) than subjects under the age of fifty (45.77), and the mixed-effects model statistical analysis showed these values to be significant (p-value=0.0459). The EPT scores of subjects of different sex p-value=0.7508), body mass index (BMI) (p-value=0.7891), and race (p-value=0.0818), were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: Subjects over the age of fifty were more sensitive (had lower average EPT scores) to the electric pulp test than subjects under the age of fifty. Average EPT scores were not significantly different when comparing sex, BMI, or race.