Current practice in endodontics

The aim of this series of six articles is to improve the quality of endodontic treatment in general dental practice by considering what is currently being taught in dental schools. This first article considers the rationale behind endodontic treatment, what we are aiming to achieve and why. It looks at the dental and medico-legal issues which dictate the standards of our practice, and sets out the programme for the series.     

Current practice in endodontics: 2. Diagnosis and treatment planning

The aim of this series of six articles is to improve the quality of endodontic treatment in general dental practice by considering what is currently being taught in dental schools. This second article considers the accurate diagnosis of endodontic lesions, which frequently present as emergencies requiring prompt, rapid and efficient attention. The paper then presents the treatment normally indicated once a correct and accurate diagnosis has been made.     

Current practice in endodontics: 6. Retreatments and periradicular surgery

The prime aim of this series of six articles has been to improve the quality of endodontic treatment in general dental practice by considering what is currently being taught in dental schools. This final article considers what may go wrong following completion of root canal treatment, whether orthograde retreatment is possible and how it may be achieved, and if or when periradicular surgery may be indicated.     

Current practice in endodontics: 4. A review of techniques for canal preparation

The prime aim of this series is to improve the quality of endodontic treatment in general dental practice by considering what is currently being taught in dental schools. This article reviews the development of today's endodontic techniques and suggests alternative methods of obtaining a clean and shaped canal, in keeping with the varying requirements of practitioners of differing backgrounds and abilities, while keeping in mind the established aims and objectives of endodontic treatment.     

Current practice in endodontics: 3. Access is success, and rubber dam is easy

The prime aim of this series of articles is to improve the quality of endodontic treatment in general dental practice by considering what is currently being taught in dental schools. This, the third article, offers guidance and hints to ease the use of rubber dam, which should be mandatory for root canal therapy. It also considers the shape, position and extent of access cavities. The access cavity can make all the difference in success or failure of endodontic treatment.     

Role of endodontics in current dental practice.

The findings presented in this statistical study are applicable to a representative sample of dentists in general practice in Illinois. Almost 90% of the respondents in this survey do some or all of their root canal therapy. The majority of those who do some or all of their root canal therapy do so because they enjoy it. Most of the respondents (77.3%) do not take root canal cultures. Kerr's Root Canal Sealer is the most widely used sealer, followed by Kerr's Tubli-Seal and Dr. Wach's sealer, respectively. The preferred technique of filling root canals among the respondents is by means of guttapercha and lateral condensation for most canals and the use of silver points for narrow or constricted canals. A technique that is not taught in any American dental school, the Sargenti N2 technique, is used by almost 20% of the responding dentists. Most of the respondents try to fill the canal 0.5 to 1 mm from the apex. Although dozens of intracanal medicaments exist, the most commonly used one is camphorated parachlorophenol, which is used by more than 50% of the dentists who participated in this survey. A chelating agent is used by almost two fifths of the dentists surveyed and use of such an agent is increasing. More than half the respondents carry out some sort of endodontic surgery in their practice' apicoectomy is the most common endodontic surgery performed. The data show that 48.9% of the dentists who participated in this survey feel that dental schools should devote more time to teaching endodontics, 50.5% believe that the amount of time should remain the same, and only 0.5% feel that the amount of time should be decreased. About 70% of those who feel that the amount of time for teaching endodontics should be increased specified an increase in clinical training.