Kreena Patel is taking over Dentistry’s Instagram account this week to help guide endodontic success, here we find out what she has planned.
It’s great to be part of the Dentistry takeover this week on the theme of endodontic success.
We will discuss what successful endodontic treatment is and the different factors that can impact success and also cause failure of treatment.
Endodontic success
Studies find that the average success rate for primary root canal treatment is 83%. And for root canal re-treatment it is 80%.
However, the criteria for endodontic ‘success’ in the endodontic literature is based on very strict criteria. It is usually complete resolution of the periapical radiolucency.
The survival rate for endodontically treated teeth is even better. A study carried out on over 1.5 million teeth found the survival was 96% at eight years!
There are many factors that can affect endodontic success – right from the skills of the operator to the quality of treatment that is carried out.
Other factors that show lower success rates are:
- The presence of a preoperative sinus
- Inability to get clean close to the radiographic apex and achieve patency
- A flare up between appointments
- Perforations
- Obturating more than 2mm from the radiographic apex
- Extrusion or voids in GP
- Poor coronal seal.
Survival studies also show that endodontically treated teeth last longer if:
- A cuspal coverage restoration is placed on posterior teeth following treatment
- If the tooth has mesial and distal proximal contacts
- If it is not functioning as an abutment for a fixed or removable prosthesis
- It is a non-molar tooth.
Further reading
Ng YL, Mann V and Gulabivala K (2011) A prospective study of the factors affecting outcomes of nonsurgical root canal treatment: part 1: periapical health. Int Endod J 44(7): 583-609
Salehrabi R and Rotstein I (2004) Endodontic treatment outcomes in a large patient population in the USA: an epidemiological study. J Endod 30(12): 846-50
To find out more about endodontic success, check out Dentistry’s Instagram over this week where Kreena will share clinical photos and videos.
