Endodontic retreatment: Analysis of three specialists' retreatment rates / Retratamento endodôntico: avaliação dos índices de três especialistas

Endodontic retreatment is a clinical intervention intended to correct errors that have occurred in a treatment performed previously. There are several causes of failures. The anatomical variations between root canals and the diffi culties of achieving microbial disinfection are reported as two of the main causes. However, in the dental offi ces of both general practitioners and specialists, it is very common that the causes of indications for endodontic retreatment are technical failures due to poorly executed treatment. In view of this, the objective of this study is to analyze the records of three specialists in Endodontics and analyze the causes for referral of their endodontic retreatment patients. Examination of 24,553 treatments conducted over varying periods revealed that cases of retreatment accounted for a considerable proportion of the routine work performed by these specialists, at an average of 23% of cases. The majority of retreatment indications were due to technical failure of the initial treatment, in combination with microbial factors caused by contamination of coronal restorations and poorly executed endodontic preparation and fi lling.

O retratamento endodôntico é uma intervenção clínica destinada para a correção de falhas ocorridas num tratamento anteriormente realizado. Vários são os motivos desencadeadores de insucessos. A variedade anatômica dos canais radiculares e a difi culdade de proporcionar a desinfecção microbiana são referenciadas como duas das causas principais. Entretanto, nos consultórios dentários de clínicos gerais e especialistas, é muito comum a indicação para oretratamento endodôntico por razões técnicas devido a sua mal execução. Estabelecida esta problemática, o objetivo deste estudo consiste em avaliar os prontuários de três especialistas em endodontia e verifi car quais são os motivos de encaminhamentos de seus pacientes para o retratamento endodôntico. Após o exame de 24.553 tratamentos em períodos distintos, verifi couse que os casos de retratamentos chegam a uma média relevante de 23% na rotina destes especialistas e que a maioria das indicações se deram por inabilidade no primeiro tratamento, aliadas ao fator microbiano causado por contaminações de restaurações coronárias, preparos e obturações endodônticas mal executadas.

Direct or indirect composite veneers in anterior teeth: which method causes higher tooth mass loss? An in vitro study.

There is little information in the literature regarding the relationship between preparations made for direct and indirect veneers and the loss of tooth structure required for each technique. This in vitro study sought to quantify the different mass losses from preparation techniques used for direct and indirect veneers. Thirty artificial teeth were weighted using a digital balance and placed in a dental manikin in the position corresponding to the right maxillary central incisor. Five clinicians-all experts in esthetic dentistry-were asked to perform conventional preparations for both a direct composite resin veneer and an indirect ceramic veneer. After preparations, specimens were weighted again in the same digital balance. Teeth undergoing veneer preparations demonstrated a statistically significant mass loss compared to unprepared teeth. Indirect ceramic veneer preparations produced more mass loss than direct composite veneer preparations (P < 0.01).