Endodontic treatment has benefited by the increased use of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). CBCT machines vary in their field of view (FOV) and image resolution capacity. The type of machine required in endodontics should have the highest resolution to visualize small objects, such as constricted canals or fractures. Resolution is determined by the size of the volumetric pixel, which is referred to as a voxel. According to the Nyqvist-Shannon Sampling Theorem, accurate representation of an analog signal (anatomy) needs to be sampled at a rate greater than twice the highest frequency (size) of the signal…
This article is Reprinted with the permission of the Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society.
With the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s 2001 approval of the use of cone beam com- puted tomography (CBCT) machines, dentists have come to appreciate the advantages of 3-D imaging technology…
How successful is endodontic therapy? When evaluating the prevalence of periradicular dis- ease, epidemiological studies report a 60 to 75 percent success rate in general…
Innovations in endodontic technology have been responsible for many revolutionary changes that have occurred over the last 10 to 15 years. Improved instrumentation and obturation products used judiciously have elevated…
Recent advances in technology, such as rotary instrumentation, ultrasonics, digital radiology, and the surgical operating microscope (SOM), have transformed the practice of endodontics. The use of three dimensional imaging…
The success of endodontic treatment hinges on the prevention of the spread of microorganisms or their toxins from the root canal space into the periradicular tissues. Residual microorganisms are capable of existing within the root canal system for years after treatment in multispecies biofilms.! Despite nutrient deprivation, a hostile environment and the presence of a functioning host immune system, these organisms can result in the persistence of disease and …
The goal of endodontic therapy is to either prevent the establishment of periapical pathology by the removal of irreversibly inflammed pulp tissue or to reverse the course of existing apical periodontitis when the…
The success of endodontic treatment is dependent upon the removal of irritants from within the root canal system. As the numbers of retreatments and the age of our patients has increased, the ability to locate…