Endodontic Treatment Planning Dilemmas

ENDODONTIC TREATMENT PLANNING DILEMMAS

ENDODONTIC TREATMENT PLANNING DILEMMAS: Here we present an interesting case of a 47yo healthy Asian male with an exceptionally esthetic FPD #3-5 with #4 as the pier abutment. The FPD was done a little over a year prior to initial presentation to our office. The patient had subsequently presented to our office with persistent bite discomfort and pain upon digital palation of the “gums”. Although both #4 and #5 were infected, #4 had a vertical root fracture traveling from the apical –> coronal (confirmed via CBCT and subsequent surgical access). Apical surgery was initially planned on #5 and full root […]

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Why Does My Endodontist Do Extractions?

WHY DOES MY ENDODONTIST DO EXTRACTIONS?

WHY DOES MY ENDODONTIST DO EXTRACTIONS? There are several clear benefits of working with endodontists who are comfortable with extractions: (1) If a tooth is found to be non-restorable during treatment due to a severe crack or fracture, we can immediately remove the tooth while they are already numb without having to send the patient to another dentist who may not be able to see them for severaldays (2) It allows us to be somewhat ‘unbiased’ with regards to recommending either RCT or EXT treatment options. However, comfort with extractions also allows us to increase our surgical repertoire to provide […]

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Endodontic Healing Potential
Selective Root Retreatment Revisited

SELECTIVE ROOT RETREATMENT REVISITED

SELECTIVE ROOT RETREATMENT REVISITED: Does it work? Here we present a case with a 45 yo healthy female with seemingly adequate endodontic treamtent but recurrent lesion associated with the mesial root. It may be of siginficance that the crown was recently replaced within a couple of months. We did not see defintive evidence of non-restorable tooth fracture. Therefore, 2 stage selective root retreatment was chosen to minimize “esthetic” damage to the crown. 1 year later, the mesial root lesion appears to have resolved and the patient remains symptom free and happy!   […]

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Endodontic Healing Potential

ENDODONTIC HEALING POTENTIAL 2

ENDODONTIC HEALING POTENTIAL: Here we present a case of the potential of healing disease with proper endodontic treatment. Pre-operatively the case displayed a large distal root lesion with significant furcation involvement, buccal swelling and probing that could essentially reach the root apex. Without any definitive proof of non-restorable tooth/root fracture, including pre-operative CBCT, we decided to initiate root canal treatment with the intent of saving the tooth. Upon the initial appointment the case was completely instrumented and medicated for 8 weeks (no sponge/cotton pellet used). At the completion appointment, we had already noted significant lesion healing with no clinical signs […]

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Is Complete Canal Calcification Treatable?

IS COMPLETE CANAL CALCIFICATION TREATABLE?

IS COMPLETE CANAL CALCIFICATION TREATABLE? Many would look at this case and think that it is impossible to treat. This patient reported a history trauma which caused accelerated calcification and subsequent devitalization and infection of the tooth in question. The process of calcification is actually a protective mechanism used by the pulp (or “nerve”) to protect itself against further trauma. Consequently, it can make root canal treatment extremely difficult for the clinician who has to treat it years down the road. Although the task is difficult, and sometimes seemingly unable to be done, the characteristic of the reactive calcified material […]

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CBCT PRE-SURGICAL ASSESSMENT
SILVER POINT RETREATMENT
ENDODONTISTS AND DENTAL IMPLANTS (part 1):
ENDODONTIC HEALING POTENTIAL