Clinical evaluation of audiometric control root canal treatment: a retrospective case study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess the success of endodontic treatment that had been guided by audiometric (electronic) measurement.


METHODS
The lengths of 66 infected root canals that demonstrated periapical pathosis were accurately measured by the Sono-Explorer before root canal obturation. The results over time intervals of 1 month to 20 years were evaluated on the basis of radiographic examinations.


RESULTS
The rate of successful treatment was 90.4% for short-filled root canals, 94.5% for flush-filled root canals, and a low 50.0% for long-filled root canals. The rate of successful endodontic therapy was 87.8% for restorations that did not exceed the apical foramen but reached the apical constriction and 95.3% if cases in which the apical radiolucencies were disappearing were included as successes. If cases of unintentional long-filling (overextension) were excluded, the success rate was as high as 98.4%.


CONCLUSIONS
The poor performance of overfilled root canals indicates that practitioners should not overextend these restorations. Use of the Sono-Explorer aided successful treatment of infected root canals.
Murakami
Masaki
M
Inoue Dental Clinic, Nisseki-Mitsubishi Building B1, 1-3-12 Nishi-simbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Inoue
Shintaro
S
Inoue
Noboru
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004582:Electronics, Medical / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013016:Sound; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013499:Surface Properties; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012834:Silver; D006171:Gutta-Percha