Quantification of pulpal blood flow in developing teeth of dogs.

Pulpal blood flow was determined in 32 dogs ranging in age from 6 weeks to 18 months by the isotope fractionation method incorporating diffusible and nondiffusible tracers. Dogs were placed into selected age groups by the developmental status of the canine teeth. For the teeth sampled, the maxillary first, second, and third incisors along with the canines and first molars, pulpal blood flow was determined to be not different in teeth at various developmental stages. For some dental pulps, alveolar mucosa, and bone, the tracers were not determining equivalent blood flows. Because of incomplete trapping of the 7- to 10 mu microspheres and the flow limitation of 86Rb, the 15 mu spheres would appear to be a reliable indicator of "total" blood flow to pulpal tissues. However, in alveolar mucosa and bone, and 15 mu microspheres may not be completely trapped and thus, may underestimate blood flow to these tissues. Within the age range of these dogs, tissue blood flow was not dependent upon the stages of oral development.