Pediatric and general dentists' attitudes toward pulp therapy for primary teeth.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this survey was to assess and compare the attitudes of pediatric and general dentists regarding treatment planning of indirect pulp therapy (IPT) in primary teeth. METHODS: A 15-item electronic survey was sent to 3,883 general dentists and 3,691 pediatric dentists nation-wide to assess their knowledge and attitudes regarding the treatment planning of IPT through the presentation of clinical scenarios. RESULTS: Of the 7,574 electronic surveys distributed, 1,259 (17%) were completed. When presented with a clinical scenario where IPT would be an appropriate choice, 41% of general dentists and 28% of pediatric dentists selected IPT as treatment of choice (P<.01). CONCLUSION: Most general and pediatric dentists do not regularly treatment plan indirect pulp therapy for primary teeth. Pediatric dentists are less likely than general dentists to do so. Most surveyed believe pulpotomy is a more successful vital pulp therapy than IPT. There are significant differences between pediatric and general dentists in terms of treatment planning and materials utilized in vital pulp therapy.

Removal time of fiber posts versus titanium posts.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the time needed to remove a glass reinforced fiber post versus a titanium post. METHODS: 40 extracted anterior teeth were mounted in acrylic blocks then treated endodontically. They were randomly assigned to three groups. The teeth were sectioned horizontally, with the coronal portion removed. The fiber posts were cemented with resin cement and the titanium posts were cemented with glass ionomer or resin cement. The fiber posts were removed by coring them out internally. The titanium posts were removed by creating a trough around the post then vibrating with ultrasonic energy. The teeth were examined visually and radiographically to ensure complete removal of the post and cement. Removal time included the time to make radiographs necessary to ensure complete removal. RESULTS: Post-cement combination significantly affected the median rank of the removal time (Kruskal-Wallis test; H = 12.709; P = 0.002). The mean rank removal time of titanium posts cemented with resin cement were significantly higher than the mean rank of the other two post-cement combinations (Dunn's multiple comparison test; P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the other two combinations.

Surgical endodontic retrograde root-end filling materials.

The treatment of diseased and necrotic pulpal tissue in teeth spans has been well known throughout history. Root canal treatment in the twentieth century has included complete removal of pulpal remnants to remove the failing tissue and then obturating the canal space with biocompatible material. This treatment preserves individual teeth to further function as part of a whole dentition for the patient's well-being. Failed root canal treatment, however, sometimes requires surgical intervention to treat the teeth from the root end. This article reviews the materials placed in intimate contact with tissues in this surgical procedure. The implications of these various materials within the tissues are discussed, along with clinical signs and symptoms a healthcare provider might encounter when examining these patients. There is no clear-cut "best" material for root-end surgical obturation at this time. Therefore, major materials that might be used are included in this discussion.