Filling of simulated lateral canals with gutta-percha or thermoplastic polymer by warm vertical compaction

Endodontic management of an aberrant germinated composite odontome: A case report

To describe the endodontic treatment of a germinated composite odontome with atypical internal anatomy. A 35-year-old male presented with pain in the left mandibular second molar region. Intraoral examination and Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) revealed a rare case of a germinated composite odontome with a 3-2-1 Vertucci configuration in the mesial root. Occlusal morphology and mesial root configuration required modifications in methods of isolation and access cavity preparation. Contemporary tools like magnification, ultrasonics and controlled memory rotary files were essential for executing the treatment plan. The tooth was functional at 18 months follow up and radiographs revealed no abnormality.

Assessment of the Current Endodontic Practices among General Dental Practitioners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

A contemporary knowledge of root canal treatment (RCT) is a prerequisite for a successful outcome. Studies observed that General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) were not abreast of current endodontic knowledge due to a lack of continuing dental education, not following the treatment protocols that they had learned in their undergraduate program, and overlooking the evidence-based current endodontic practices. Therefore, this study was intended to assess the awareness, attitude, and clinical endodontic practices among General Dental Practitioners in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among all 312 GDPs working in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic details and 23 questions regarding current endodontic practices. The collected data was analyzed using the SPSS Version 21 (Chicago, IL, USA). The chi-square test was applied to explore the influence of gender, workplace, and the years of professional activity on the materials and techniques employed in the RCT procedure. The study results showed that of all respondents, 159 (51.0%) were males, 153 (49.0%) were females, and 286 (91.7%) were Saudi nationals. Most of the GDPs, i.e., 204 (65.4%) practiced in private hospitals or clinics whereas 108 (34.6%) practiced in Government hospitals. Root canal treatment on all teeth had been performed by 196 (62%) of the practitioners. Association of gender with demographic details and endodontic practices revealed a statistically significant difference between both genders with respect to region, nationality, type of RCT treated on the tooth, and the technique used to measure the working length (p < 0.05). Furthermore, years of professional experience and workplace significantly affect endodontic practices (p < 0.05). This study concluded that most of the general dental practitioners complied with quality standard guidelines showing a positive attitude toward endodontic practices. Furthermore, irrespective of gender, most of the steps in endodontic procedures revealed a significant association with years of professional experience and the workplace.

Micro-computed tomography assessment of different obturation techniques for filling lateral canals

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate obturation depth and volume by means of micro-CT when filling lateral canals.

Material and Methods

Thirty single-rooted teeth were used. After instrumentation, three artificial lateral canals were created on each mesial and distal surface (one on each third). The samples were then separated randomly into three groups according to the obturation technique used (n=10): lateral condensation (Group 1), Tagger’s hybrid technique (Group 2) and GuttaCore™ (Group 3). Samples were scanned and data was processed with Avizo software. Depth and volume of the infilling were measured in each lateral canal. Values were expressed as percentages and were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Results

Mean depth showed statistically significant differences between Group 3 and Groups 1 (p=0.001) and 2 (p=0.003), whereas no significant difference was found between Groups 1 and 2 (p≈1). As for mean volume, significant differences were found between Group 3 and Groups 1 (p=0.01) and 2 (p=0.003) but no differences were found between Groups 1 and 2 (p=1.00).

Conclusions

GuttaCore provided the best lateral canal sealing among the three techniques compared.

Key words:Lateral canals, Micro-CT, obturation.