Clinical evaluation of thermography as a diagnostic tool in oral and maxillo-facial lesions

Abstract EN

Objectives : To evaluate the use of thermography in diagnosing dental abscesses and cellulitis of odontogenic origin, and to determine whether changes in heat emitted from a dental abscess and cellulitis are different and implementing these results in future studies related to dental thermography as a diagnostic tool in dental clinics.

Methods : This study was performed on 48 adult patients seen at the Department of Conservative Dentistry of Royal Medical Services suspected to have either facial cellulitis or a dental abscess.

Thermal images of affected and unaffected skin were obtained for each patient.

A provisionaldiagnosis was madeon the basis ofclinical examination alone and clinical examination plus thermography.

A definitive diagnosis of the abscess was made when the incision for drainage revealed the presence of pus.

Temperature difference was calculated between the affected and the corresponding contra-lateral regions of interest.

Results : A definitive diagnosis of facial cellulitis was made in 50%, and dental abscesses in 50 % of the cases.

A correct diagnosis was made 87.5% of the time using the clinical examination alone, while clinical examination with thermography increased the correct diagnosis to 95.8% of the cases.In males, no significant temperature differences between affected and contralateral unaffected site in facial cellulitis and dental abscess patients were recorded (2.1 versus 1.68 °C, P = 0.4930).

While temperature differences were greater in facial cellulitis patients than in dental abscess patients in females (2.84 versus 0.92 °C, P = 0.0016).

Conclusion : Thermography can be used as an adjunct for making correct diagnosisdifferentiating between facial cellulitis and dental.Heat emitted from a dental abscess and cellulitis was different in males' and females.