SILVER POINT RETREATMENT

SILVER POINT RETREATMENT –
Not every retreatment is the same. Seen below is a case where the mesial roots were obturated with silver points and the distal root with gutta percha. Silver points are not commonly used today due to the fact that they can often tarnish and corrode causing leakage and eventual failure of the RCT. Interestingly, they do not always corrode when done properly. This is why we do not recommend retreatment on a tooth obturated with silver points if it is asymptomatic and has no radiographic evidence of pathosis. In the case shown below, the patient presented with considerable pain and an apical radiolucency. Retreatment was completed and the silver points removed by braiding hedstrom files around the silver point similar to how you use chopsticks (this is also how we retreat thermafil). In this case, two visit endodontics was recommended with calcium hydroxide placed for two weeks to verify complete symptom resolution and adequate disinfection.