A case report by Dr. Clarissa Jänig

Dentists have their own tool kits filled with specialised instruments to help with specific procedures. With financial strains and time constraints weighing on clinicians, finding tools that are versatile for a variety of clinical situations is more crucial than ever. Ultradent’s new MTAFlow™ White repair cement is that versatile endodontic tool.

“Walking bleach,” or endodontic whitening, provides a whitening solution for the many patients with one or more non-vital teeth. Non-vital teeth often appear darker than the rest of a patient’s smile due to internal bleeding caused by trauma, the presence of necrotic debris, or pigmentation as a result of previously used endodontic treatment materials. Thus, unlike most whitening cases where discoloration is caused by external staining to vital teeth (usually due to smoking, eating, and/or drinking habits,) as the pre-fix “endo” suggests, endodontic whitening, or walking bleach, is used when discoloration comes from the inside out.

Did you know that calcium hydroxide is a popular temporary medication used to disinfect root canals, and has been shown to be effective in a wide variety of situations?

By Dr. Gary Findley

The chemistries you use are different. Some are chemically activated and must be mixed immediately prior to placement. Others have varying viscosities. Some work in pits and fissures, some inside canals, and some on smooth surfaces. Each chemistry you use is designed for a specific purpose. Shouldn't the same be true for your applicator tips?

During a root canal procedure, it’s imperative that clinicians debride and cleanse canals thoroughly with endodontic irrigants—even where instruments can’t reach. However, this can prove tricky, as irrigants must reach where they are needed without expressing beyond the apex of the canal.

There remains a growing belief among clinicians that obturation is to blame for endodontic failures. This notion has more recently fallen under scrutiny as researchers have discovered that the most thorough obturation can only reflect the quality of the cleaning and shaping of the canal. In fact, a number of researchers point to the thorough use of irrigants—making sure that the debris, and irrigant itself is lifted completely out of the canal, not forced out the apex—as the most important determinant in the long-term success of an endodontic procedure. The right irrigants, when used properly, eliminate harmful microorganisms and bacteria in the root and tubules, and prevent recontamination, even long after the RCT (root canal therapy) is complete. The recently acknowledged vital role of irrigants stands to reason, as RCT itself was born out of the necessity to treat the infected, and very often painful, dentinal tubules and roots that traditional restorative dentistry couldn't address.

Article courtesy of Dr. Douglas Harvey Critical to the success of every root canal treatment is establishing and maintaining a clean, dry, isolated field. Preventing the introduction of oral bacteria into the root canal space cannot be over-emphasized. The use of a rubber dam is the standard of care, however, maintaining a complete seal around the tooth can often be a challenge, especially with a badly broken down tooth. The result could be saliva contamination of the access cavity and/or the leakage of root canal irrigants, such as sodium hypochlorite, into the oral cavity with disastrous consequences.

Ultradent has long been known for innovating with syringe delivery systems. In fact, most of Ultradent’s products are designed with syringe delivery in mind, earning the company the nickname “the syringe people” before helping make syringe delivery the industry standard. However, there are still dentists that do not know that the classic 1.2ml syringes are not the only option for clinicians to experience Ultradent’s innovative products.