Hear more about Tom Brannen’s live root canal treatment using the latest endodontic techniques and technology ahead of the next Dentistry Live session.
‘Endodontic treatment is not a race to the apex… it’s to progressively clean and shape the canal.’ So said Tom Brannen, dentist with a special interest in endodontics, as he joined Dentistry Live to present ‘Endodontics Live: Part 1’ – live root canal treatment in real time using the latest techniques, instrumentation and irrigation systems.
Taking place at the Campbell Academy in Nottingham and sponsored by Dentsply Sirona, Tom wanted to take away the trepidation that many dentists feel about endodontic treatment. Instead he wanted to demonstrate an efficient, repeatable workflow for dentists to provide endodontic treatments in their own surgery to provide more patients with high quality care.
The case focused on treating a female patient with an upper right four that had become necrotic, due initially to perio issues. Despite quite a lot of bone loss, the tooth was reasonably stable.
As Tom explained, the aim of endodontic treatment is to try to do everything to preserve the tooth for as long as possible. It’s a delicate process designed to maintain structural dentine and tooth integrity and depends on a thorough understanding of the root canal system, good access design and the use of appropriate instrumentation, disinfection and irrigation systems.
‘Pick the file system to meet the tooth’
With a number of endodontic file systems available, Tom highlighted how important it is to choose the appropriate one for the case.
In this case the tooth was quite narrow with thin canals. Tom chose to use TruNatomy from Dentsply Sirona, the latest innovation in endodontic treatment with a file system specifically designed to shape, clean and obturate while maintaining as much tooth structure as possible.
Since dentine is only removed where clinically necessary, the structural strength of the tooth is preserved while ensuring appropriate irrigation of the canal.
With access being a crucial step in the treatment to ensure adequate visibility and access to the canals for proper cleaning and shaping, Tom used the Orifice Modifier to create the ideal entry point, followed by the Glide Path file to gently remove any further constrictions.
With TruNatomy featuring products for each step of root canal treatment, Tom demonstrated how to use the Shaping Files to allow for more space for debris debridement, thorough cleaning and disinfection of the canals using the Irrigation Needle and EndoActivator, and how best to place Conform Fit Gutta-Percha Points to match the precise shapes created by the files.
Finally, he filled the canals using AH Plus Bioceramic Sealer and a modified single cone technique to ensure a fast healing process.
Stay patient focused
In the Q&A session that followed the live broadcast, Tom explained that his patient was fully aware that her long term prognosis may not be ideal, but she wanted to try and maintain her tooth for as long as possible.
He added that as well as preserving as much dentine as possible, this was a key element of the case. It’s important to remember that the main aim of endodontic treatment is to stay patient-focused in order to improve the quality of endodontic care and patient outcomes.
For more information on Dentsply Sirona TruNatomy endodontic treatment solutions, please visit www.dentsplysirona.com/en-gb/categories/endodontics/trunatomy.html.
Take a look at upcoming endodontic treatment training courses through the Dentsply Sirona Academy.
Join endodontist, Sagi Shavit, as he performs his own live root canal treatment on Dentistry Live on Thursday 28 September.
