Histologic evaluation of the pulpal response to temperature probe placement in the Macaca fascicularis monkey.

A method to measure intrapulpal temperatures during cavity preparation and restorative procedures has been developed. It involves placement of temperature probes to the dentinoenamel and dentinopulpal junctions. After placement of the probes, the pulps of the test teeth were examined histologically to determine whether their placement caused a pulpal response. The test teeth displayed no adverse response in the areas of the pulp opposite or adjacent to the position of the probes. Therefore the developed method of temperature probe placement to measure intrapulpal temperatures does not interfere with those measurements by adversely affecting the pulp tissues.