Non-surgical post perforation repair with mineral trioxide aggregate: a case report

Mineral trioxide aggregate, or MTA, is a biocompatible material that has demonstrated numerous clinical applications in endodontics. It appears to be an improvement over other materials for use in procedures that involve root repair and bone healing, as it has consistently demonstrated the ability to promote regeneration of the original tissues when it is placed in contact with the periradicular tissues. This article describes the use of MTA for the successful non-surgical repair of an iatrogenic post perforation.

Antibiotic therapy--managing odontogenic infections

Several pharmaceuticals have been developed in the past 10 years that have made a significant impact on the health of the human race. There have been few advances, however, that have proved more efficacious than the pharmacotherapies we have had available for many decades for the treatment of odontogenic infections. Many new antibiotics/antimicrobials have been developed, but none have been determined to be of significant benefit to replace or supplant the use of penicillins for the management of orofacial infections caused by pathogens in and around the oral cavity. Judicious use of antibiotics in conjunction with surgical therapy is the most appropriate method to treat odontogenic infections. Using the antibiotic "du jour," many times promoted by pharmaceutical representatives, results in costly and unnecessary complexity of care. A return to the basics is indicated for the antibiotic management of odontogenic infections.

Comprehensive treatment concept in a young adult patient with severe periodontal disease: a case report

This case report describes the comprehensive treatment of generalized, advanced periodontal disease in a young patient. In view of the necessary reconstruction, the extensive destruction of the periodontal tissues required a systematic approach to determine the possibilities and the expectations of the patient. The subsequent oral rehabilitation was accomplished with fixed prosthodontics. In the mandible, strategically important anchor teeth were replaced with implants, allowing smaller units to be inserted. The long-term treatment result, however, can only be ensured with the full cooperation of the patient and consistent periodontal maintenance care.

Garre's osteomyelitis associated with a fistula: a case report

A report of Garre's osteomyelitis of the mandible associated with a fistula is presented. Elimination of pulpal periapical infection through endodontic therapy was shown to be an effective treatment. The total bone healing was observed one year later.

The use of MTA in teeth with necrotic pulps and open apices

Three clinical cases have been treated with the use of an apical plug of MTA for apexification. All three cases were central incisors that had suffered premature interruption of root development as a consequence of trauma. According to the treatment protocol, the root canals were rinsed with 5% NaOCl; then, calcium hydroxide paste was placed in the canals for 1 week. Consequently, the apical portion of the canal (4 mm) was filled with MTA. The remaining portion of the root canals was then closed with thermoplastic gutta-percha. At 6-month and 1-year follow-up period the clinical and radiographic appearance of the teeth showed resolution of the periapical lesions. MTA appears to be a valid option for apexification with its main advantage being the speed at which the treatment can be completed.

Alopecia areata of dental origin

The association of alopecia areata and infectious foci of dental origin is relatively common, and may be explained by the autoimmune nature of the disorder. We describe a case of alopecia areata with no apparent cause and that was effectively resolved by eliminating a focalized dental infection via endodontic treatment. The presence of common immune mediators in the pathogenesis of both alopecia areata and dental infection could account for the dental origin of the hair loss. In this sense, patients with localized alopecia should be subjected to careful exploration of the oral cavity in search of possible dental infections.

Interappointment emergencies in teeth with necrotic pulps

The incidence of interappointment emergencies in symptomatic and asymptomatic teeth with necrotic pulps was evaluated, and severity of flare-ups was determined by a quantitative method using a flare-up index. There were no significant differences in the incidence of flare-ups attributable to gender, age, diameter of lesion, taking analgesics, placebos, or no medication, or preoperative symptomatic or asymptomatic tooth diagnoses (p > 0.05). There were significantly more painful flare-ups in mandibular teeth than in maxillary (p < 0.05).

Apexification: an interesting case

This case of total pulpal necrosis and infection illustrates a relatively unexpected apexification outcome that morphologically closely resembled normal root end formation.

Effect of occlusal trauma on healing of periapical pathoses: report of two cases

AIM

To present two clinical cases and demonstrate that occlusal trauma may affect healing of periapical pathoses.

SUMMARY

Two teeth with periradicular disease did not respond successfully to conventional root canal treatment or endodontic surgery. Occlusal adjustment was finally performed on both cases. After occlusal adjustment, uncomplicated healing and periapical repair occurred in both cases. The findings in these two cases suggest that occlusal trauma may play a role in the healing of periapical pathoses.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

Occlusal trauma is positively correlated with changes in periodontal tissues. Although experiments in animals have shown that application of forces to teeth will not induce further periodontal destruction, we believe that some failures of root canal treatment may be due to the presence of occlusal trauma modulating the responses of inflamed periapical tissues or apical pathoses with persistent infection.

Revascularization of an immature permanent tooth with apical periodontitis and sinus tract

A necrotic immature mandibular second premolar with periapical involvement in a 13-year-old patient was treated. Instead of the standard root canal treatment protocol and apexification, antimicrobial agents were used in the canal, after which the canal was left empty. Radiographic examination showed the start of apical closure 5 months after the completion of the antimicrobial protocol. Thickening of the canal wall and complete apical closure was confirmed 30 months after the treatment, indicating the revascularization potential of a young permanent tooth pulp into a bacteria-free root canal space.

Calcium hydroxide in endodontic retreatment after two nonsurgical and two surgical failures: report of a case

AIM

To describe the role of calcium hydroxide in infection control during complex endodontic retreatment.

SUMMARY

A case is presented in which two conventional endodontic treatments and two surgical interventions failed to bring periapical healing. Despite this history, a further conventional treatment augmented by long-term disinfection with calcium hydroxide finally delivered a successful outcome.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

Periapical healing follows proper intracanal infection control. Despite repeated surgical and nonsurgical intervention, careful retreatment can often bring healing. Calcium hydroxide has long-acting antimicrobial and soft-tissue dissolving activity. It is a helpful adjunct in endodontic retreatment.

Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) as a root end filling material in apical surgery--a case report

Many root end filling materials for apical surgeries have been identified either for scientific evaluation or clinical usage but none meets the requirements of an ideal root end filling material. Recently a new cement, Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) was researched as a potential root end filling material and showed promising results. This paper reports the significant findings of research done on MTA as a root end filling material and presents a clinical case where apical surgery was performed using MTA as retrograde filling.

The dental management of a patient with a cocaine-induced maxillofacial defect: a case report

There are several dental complications associated with cocaine abuse, including adverse reactions to dental anesthetics, post-operative bleeding, and cellulitis, which can lead to necrosis of orbital, nasal, and palatal bones. Following is a report of the initial treatment rendered to a patient who had destroyed most of her hard palate over a ten-year period of cocaine abuse. There are no classic socio-economic or educational profiles for abusers of cocaine. Drug abuse victims may present as patients in any dental office. Though there are certain classic physiological and psychological symptoms of their condition, they may not display symptoms at all.

Treatment of teeth with open apices using mineral trioxide aggregate

Injuries to the dentition may ultimately result in the interruption of root development. If the pulp remains vital following trauma, this state should be maintained and root-end closure should be induced by apexogenesis. When the pulp is necrotic, the placement of an apical barrier can be utilized as an alternative to establish an environment that facilitates the closure of the apical opening. This article demonstrates the use of mineral trioxide aggregate as an apical barrier material for root-end closure in the permanent teeth of three patients.

Successful treatment of pulpal-periodontal combined lesion in a birooted maxillary lateral incisor with concomitant palato-radicular groove. A case report

Palato-radicular groove (PRG) is a common developmental anomaly of maxillary incisors, whereas PRG associated with a birooted maxillary incisor is relatively infrequent. The clinical significance of PRG is related to the incidence of localized periodontitis with or without pulpal pathosis, depending on the depth, extent, and complexity of the groove. Successful treatments of PRG in single-rooted incisors have been reported in the literature. However, treatment of PRG in birooted incisors has often been ineffective. This case report describes a pulpal-periodontal combined lesion occurring on a birooted maxillary left lateral incisor with concomitant PRG in a 13-year-old boy which was successfully treated by conventional endodontic therapy in combination with periodontal treatment including accessory root resection, radiculoplasty and bone grafting. Seven-year follow-up is included in this report. The basis of a successful result is accurate diagnosis and elimination of inflammatory irritants and contributory factors. Awareness of the existence of this abnormality by the clinician is important.

A case of an odontogenic cutaneous sinus tract

CASE REPORT

A 22-year-old female presented with a draining sinus tract on her left cheek. The tooth responsible was examined clinicopathologically. On clinical examination, the mandibular left first molar tooth was restored with an amalgam filling. Radiographic examination revealed base or pulp capping material below the restoration and a radiolucent periapical lesion surrounding the distal root apex. Conservative non-surgical root canal treatment was performed; 10 months later, the sinus had healed completely and the periapical lesion had resolved. Histopathological examination of pulp tissue recovered during treatment revealed foreign bodies, made up of capping material and amalgam, associated with chronic inflammation. These findings suggested that chronic inflammation in the pulp tissue had resulted in a draining sinus tract.

Diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous facial sinus tracts of dental origin

BACKGROUND

Cutaneous draining sinus tracts of dental origin often are a diagnostic challenge. A delay in correctly diagnosing these types of lesions can result in ineffective and inappropriate treatment.

CASE DESCRIPTION

The authors present five cases of facial lesions that were initially misdiagnosed as lesions of nonodontogenic origin. The correct diagnosis in each case was cutaneous sinus tract secondary to pulpal necrosis and suppurative apical periodontitis. All facial sinus tracts resolved after the patients received nonsurgical root canal therapy.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

As patients with cutaneous facial sinus tracts of dental origin often do not have obvious dental symptoms, possible dental etiology may be overlooked. Early correct diagnosis and treatment of these lesions can help prevent unnecessary and ineffective antibiotic therapy or surgical treatment.

Management of an avulsed primary incisor

The case describes the management of an avulsed maxillary central primary incisor of a 3 1/2-year-old girl. The tooth was retained in the oral cavity for 30 min. After replantation it was splinted for 17 days. At day 11 the root canal was completely instrumented and obturated with a calcium hydroxide paste. The 1-year follow-up documented no pathologic clinical or radiographic findings. One and a half years after the trauma the tooth was extracted since a fistula and extensive external inflammatory resorption had developed. The permanent successor erupted along with its neighboring central incisor without any complications 6 months later. Conventional approaches for treating avulsed permanent teeth could also be applied to avulsed primary incisors to preserve them for a certain period without the additional risk of damaging their developing permanent successors.

Median mental sinus in twins

Sinus on the chin can be the result of a chronic apical abscess due to pulp necrosis of a mandibular anterior tooth. The tooth is usually asymptomatic, and a dental cause is therefore not apparent to the patient or the unsuspecting clinician. Not infrequently, the patient may seek treatment from a dermatologist or general surgeon instead of a dentist. Excision and repair of the fistula may be carried out with subsequent breakdown because the dental pathology is not removed. This paper reports the presence of median mental sinus of dental origin in twins. One case healed following root canal therapy while the other required both root canal therapy and surgery to eliminate the infection.