What is advanced endodontics? Endodontics is a medical specialization that is a part of the dentistry industry. Endodontists are specialized dental surgeons who diagnose and treat internal tooth pain. Endodontists perform a number of different treatments. In the recent years, the field has seen plenty of changes and advancements in the different techniques that endodontists use to treat their patients. If you want to know more about these different advancements, you can go through this article as we have mentioned different advancements in each technique that endodontists use.
Different Advancements in Endodontics
1. Radiography
Endodontists use digital radiographs to see if a treatment, such as root canal, is working and also use it as a way to monitor the healing process. Radiographic technology has seen upgrades like cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) technology. CBCT allows endodontists to make a safe and better diagnosis while they visualize endodontic pathosis and root fractures. CBCT has better detection due to its 3-D feature compared to radiographs that are 2-dimensional (2-D). With the help of CBCT, endodontists can make quick and valid observations. The fast-paced world of technology keeps growing rapidly, and you never know how quickly there might be new advancements in CBCT. Hence, these technologies aren’t replacements of conventional methods but are just improvements.
2. Endodontic Instrumentation
There have been many advancements in the instruments that endodontists use for dental surgical procedures. One of the advancements of endodontic files is the rotary nickel-titanium files, which provide dentists with a much better and easier means of performing endodontic treatments compared to hand files. On the other hand, reciprocating files are said to have improved cyclic fatigue resistance towards file separation. There are many more advancements in reciprocating files to come with the help of more clinical research.
The apex locator is another advancement in endodontic instruments. The apex locator makes it easier for a dentist to induce a canal’s working length by determining the maximal constriction of the canal’s apical foramen or CDJ, which is short for cement-dentinal junction.
Another important advancement in endodontic instruments is the sonic and ultrasonic instrumentation that has helped dentists clean residue and debris from canal walls after completing endodontic canal preparation, locate calcified root canals, and prepare root-ends in endodontic surgery.
3. Visualization
Unlike before, endodontists now view endodontic treatments as a microsurgical procedure. Endodontists are able to carry out microsurgical procedures using microscopes, loupes, and endoscopes. These tools help them magnify a particular treatment field in a blink of an eye. Endodontists are also able to make much more reliable diagnosis, treatments, and identifications of fracture lines, canal orifices, and anatomic variations in teeth. Conclusively, all these recent advancements in the visualization of endodontics are an efficient expansion of traditional tools. Together, they enable endodontists to make precise clarifications of treatment locations in the root canal system.
4. Irrigation and Obturation
With the help of new irrigating solutions, there has been more efficiency and effectiveness in endodontic treatments. A combination of mechanical instrumentation and irrigating solutions are more effective than endodontic files as they are able to effectively remove pulpal tissue in lateral canals, deltas, and isthmuses of a root canal system.
There are two types of irrigating solutions that we will talk about here. One is Chlorhexidine (CHX), which endodontists use in today’s endodontic canal irrigation. It has high antimicrobial effects and is low in toxicity. Sodium hypochlorite is another type of irrigating solution with better antimicrobial effects compared to CHX so it can effectively dissolve necrotic and vital pulp tissue.
Endodontists now mostly use thermoplastic gutta-percha in endodontic obturation. This type of advanced technique enables you to achieve 3dimensional (3-D) obturation in a canal space.
5. Endodontic Surgery
Over the last 15 to 20 years, there has been a significant advancement in endodontic surgical procedures. For instance, the industry has seen an ongoing use of dental instruments such as ultrasonic tip root-end preparation, retro fill materials, magnification, and micro-instruments. Many studies have found that ultrasonic tips and magnification have greatly improved the treatments of endodontics.
3-D View
3-D images have played a major role in the advancements of endodontic procedures. Endodontists continue to make use of 3-D technology as it has helped them in their treatments and diagnosis. This type of technology puts endodontists and patients at ease as there are no chances of making a faulty diagnosis, and the best part is that it prevents any type of technical error from popping up during a surgical procedure or even during treatments.
The use of regenerative endodontics has seen immense success. It is a biological procedure with the ability to replace a tooth along with cells of the pulp. Tooth regenerative therapy has also undergone numerous upgrades, and will continue to do so; only after rigorous improvement can the therapy be clinically applied by endodontists.
It’s because of these new developments that endodontic procedures have become more effective and efficient. With the help of CBCT technology, endodontists receive 3-D imaging of their patient’s radiographs. These 3-D images further help endodontists by providing them with a high-quality pretreatment model of a root and canal structure.
Conclusion
We at Bryant Park Endodontists are known to keep up with all types of advancements in endodontic procedures. We ensure that our patients are treated with updated techniques and effective procedures. So contact us now and get your dental issues fixed!