Endodontic procedure case study number: 449927

To treat such a tooth in endodontics we needed to deal with:

• Difficult access
• Long tooth (24 mm)
• Calcified canals (root canal system with dystrophic calcifications) to locate, shape clean and fill 
• Second mesiovestibular (Mb2) to strive for with the help of a dental operative microscope
• Canal curvature with an "S" form (Bayonet shaped root canal) 

Armamentarium:

PRO Taper endodontic files from Dentsply, OPMI PROergo dental operative microscope from Carl Zeiss, Gutta Percha from META, Pulp Canal Sealer from KERR 

Case report in microendodontics number: 500047

Canal curvatures are a challenge to preparation and can be the origin of many technical complications leading to failure of treatment. Canals that curve in the mesio-distal direction are usually readily detected in radiographic dental films. However, as it is the case here, many canals curve also in the bucco lingual direction.  The bucco lingual aspect of this sharp curvature has been displayed using a mesio distal angulation of our X ray cone beam.

Case study number: 497935

Patient has already been treated on an emergency basis for an acute apical periodontitis with an irreversible pulpitis on second mandibular premolar. Access opening through bridge abutment  allowed for pulpectomy and calcium hydroxide insertion at a specialist office. A provisional filling sealed the opening on occlusal. Still, as it happens often, huge leakage occurred from second bicuspid abutment margin although molar abutment was still rock hard cemented.

On pre operative Xray dental film, molar abutment shows a canal system filled with calcification and a PDL widening on its mesial root, this tooth is asymptomatic. Patient wanted to save her bridge, she understood that in order to do so, her bridge had to be removed with minimum damage in order to cement it back. By the same token, molar endodontic condition could be assessed prior to the final bridge re-cementation. 

Bicuspid bridge abutment cement has been washed out for a long time now. Existing bridge has been safely removed with minimum damage in a matter of minutes using Metalift crown and bridge removal system^TM on molar. An endodontic procedure has been performed on the bicuspid. After removal of deciduous occlusal glass ionomer filling on molar abutment, a recurrent tooth decay reaching the pulp justified a second endodontic procedure. Opmi PROergo dental operative microscope has been usefull in denticles safe  removal. Endodontic procedures have been performed using the ProTaper system endodontic files from Maillefer, root canal systems have been filled with Pulp Canal Sealer (Kerr) and gutta percha.

X ray dental film on the right shows a post endodontic outcome with existing bridge back in its original position (not cemented), that fixed prosthesis has been autoclaved and had its inner part sandblasted. Referring dentist will cement it back on abutments once he will be done with posts and cores build up of his choice. Not having to bore a large hole in the bridge abutments will definitly contribute a lot in rescuing it.

To look at a video on Metalift removing a PFM restoration please go to: http://www.metalift.com/video_downloads.html

Root canal procedure case study number: 492626 

Patient is having an AAA with a necrotic pulp, an extensive deciduous restoration and a huge tooh decay on distal aspect of this first maxillary molar (Some of us might think: "you don't have to worry it is dead").

Dystrophic calcifications are obliterating the root canal system and we can expect to strive for a second mesiovestibular too. An extreme curvature is also present in distovestibular root canal. 

Prior to the initiation of treatment, an estimate should be made as to the degree of curvature of the canal to be treated. For making this determination merely view the curved canal as having two segments, one extending from the floor of the chamber down the long axis of much of the coronal two thirds of the root and the second from the apex of the root extending back to the occlusal through the apical third of the root. These two lines will intersect and form four angles. The interior angle is the estimate of the degree of the canal curvature. In this specific case, distovestibular root degree of curvature has an estimated 120 degree. Such an estimate is of mesiodistal curvature only and does not take into consideration any buccolingual curvature. The method for making this determination has ben first described by Schneider and then Jungman et al. This present description of Schneider method is from Franklin S. Weine in his book: "Endodontic therapy" Fourth edition pp 314-315

Carl Zeiss Opmi Proergo dental operative microscope was of a big help in locating both mesiovestibular  and distovestibular canals entries, I am using the Pro Taper Endodontic files System from Maillefer for preparation of canals as they are doing very nicely in extremely curved canals. Intracanals treatment procedure is a calcium hydroxide as a medicament (Third x ray from left) since there is a lot of intracanal exudation. Canal filling method: master gutta-percha cone, lateral condensation for the first wave, warm gutta percha for the second wave. Pulp Canal Sealer as the root canal sealer. Amalgam filling has been replaced by a composite filling, because patient wanted to wait a bit for his dental insurance to kick back in. Patients regular dentist will do crowning as soon as possible after that.

Case number: 186336

A few days ago we were confronted to this three rooted mandibular first molar (Radix Molar or Radix Entomolaris), a very rare anatomic variation where a a third supernumerary root is located distolingually in mandibular molars. Tremendous amount of calcifications and a limited opening of the patients mouth made this endodontic procedure an extremely complex one. Dental Operative Microscope was most helpful in locating all canal entries.

To lurn more about Radix Entomolaris, please go to: R. Bansal & P. Ajwani: Prevalence and Morphological study Of Three Rooted Mandibular First Molar (Radix Molar) in Indian population. The Internet Journal of Human Anatomy. Volume 1 Number 1

Case number: 63724 

Case number: 6937

Case study number: 63727

Case number 474446

Deep deciduous restorations have been replaced 4 days ago. Patient has been experiencing severe spontaneous throbbing pain for the last two days. Tooth is presenting an irreversible pulpitis following a restoration replacement. 

Radiographic examination shows calcifications in apical third of all root canals, a thickened PDL in furcation and a very long tooth with a severe curvature in mesial root. The two mesial canals are merging in apical third and their length is 27mm.

Calcifications have been removed from pulp chamber with ultrasonic diamond coated tips from Spartan^TM, Endodontic treatment done in one appointment with lots of RC Prep^TM for chelating agent, Pro Taper^TM NITI files, gutta percha and Pulp Canal Sealer^TM . 

This is a symptomatic mandibular first premolar (bridge abutment) with a "C" shape root canal system. Most C-shaped canals occurs in mandibular second molars but they have been also reported in the mandibular first molar, the maxillary  first and second molars and the mandibular first premolar. This "C" shape first mandibular premolar root canal system is extremely rare. The only orthograde way to endodontically treat this anomalous root is to bring our first K file #06 to the apical third by bypassing what looks like a "mega concretion". Use of the dental operative microscope, sonic and ultrasonic instrumentation is mandatory. Being familiar with access cavity preparation for "C" shape RC through prosthetics, being familiar with cleaning, shaping and an obturation of a mineralized "S" shape root canal is also important. A cone beam tomography would have been most helpful in determining which root canal configuration we were dealing with prior to initiating this RCT and this very same tomo would have helped us in orienting our search for the pathway to the apex, but patient was reluctant to this innovative technology and decided to go for it only if symptoms persisted. Only one single pathway to the apex was found, tooth is now completely asymptomatic. Since we could not confirm this with a tomo, lets hope we were dealing with only one apex. (a type III Vertucci root canal configuration). A close follow up is planed.  

Esforzandose para hallar los caminos hacia el apice contorneando un "mega pulpolito" en  un sistema de canales radiculares anormales.

Este es un primer molar mandibular sintomatico (diente pilar) con un sistema radicular (nervio)  en forma de "C". Muchos canales radiculares en forma de "C" ocurren en los segundos molares pero ellos han sido reportados en el primer molar mandibular(inferior), el primer y segundo molar maxilar(superior), y el primer premolar mandibular(inferior). Esta forma de "C" en el canal radicular del primer premolar mandibular(inferior) es extremadamente raro. La unica forma(orthograde) para tratar endodonticamente de esta anomalia radicular es trayendo nuestro K file #06 hacia el tercio apical contorneando lo que parece un mega pulpolito (piedra). El uso del microscopio dental, instrumentacion sonica y ultrasonica es obligatoria. Estar familiarizado con el acceso a la preparacion cavitaria en forma de "C" a traves una corona, estar familiarizado con la limpieza, dar una forma al canal y hacer la obturacion de un canal radicular mineralizado en forma de "S" es tambien importante. Una tomografia (CBCT) podria haber sido de mucha ayuda determinando cual canal radicular nosotros debemos tratar antes de comenzar, y esta misma tomografia podria habernos ayudado en la orientacion de nuestra busqueda de los caminos hacia el apice, pero el paciente rehusa esta tecnologia innovadora y decide ir solo si los sintomas persisten despues del tratamiento. Solo fue hayado un camino simple hacia el apice, el diente es ahora completamente asintomatico. Desde que nosotros no podamos confirmar esto con una tomo, esperando que nosotros tratamos solo un apice. (un canal radicular de tipo III de Vertucci), un seguimiento cercano del caso es planeado.