Evaluation Of Cone Beam Computed Tomography As An Adjunctive Therapy For Endodontic Treatment Of Calcified Root Canals

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical effect of cone beam computed tomography(CBCT)as an adjunctive therapy for endodontic treatment of calcified canals,and discuss the clinical significance.MethodsThree hundred and seventy-four teeth were selected from Tianjin Stomatological Hospital as study group from April 2010 to March 2015.These teeth need to get the root canal therapy and all of them were showed blocked with calcification completely in the x-ray.The calcified canals that could not be negotiated during the conventional root canal therapy were treated under the endodontic microscope combined with ultrasonic instruments.The negotiated rates were calculated.After that,only the 46 canals which could not be negotiated continued to be treated with the help of CBCT,and the negotiated rates were calculated.The standard of negotiation was that the initial file could reach the anatomical apical foramen,and the electronic apex locator could locate to the anatomical apical foramen.ResultsDuring the conventional root canal therapy,374 teeth were treated.114 teeth of them including 185 root canals were not negotiated.After that,185 blocked canals were treated under the endodontic microscope combined with ultrasonic instruments.There are 139 canals were negotiated and 46 canals were not.The negotiate rate was 75.14%.27 root canals were seen in the CBCT imagines,and 19 root canals were not.The former includes 11 thin root canals,9 canals orifices were blocked and 7 canals' negotiating direction were deviation.With the help of microscope and ultrasonic instruments,all of the 27 canal calcification were treated successfully.The success rate was improved to 89.72%.ConclusionCBCT images can assist to location of the root canal orifice,and show the trend of calcified canal and canal morphology.To some extent it can be improved the negotiate rate of treating the calcified root canals.