Endodontic Research
Main content
Pain symptoms localized to teeth are among the most frequently experienced orofacial pain complaints. Pain of endodontic origin can reach the maximum intensity on any pain rating scale due to the dense innervation of the dental pulp by nociceptive fibers. The most frequent cause of activation of these nociceptive fibers is inflammation of the dental pulp (ie, pulpitis) due to untreated dental caries. The aims of this project were to investigate whether acute dental pain due to pulpal or periapical inflammation is associated with increased expression of the stress hormone cortisol and inflammatory markers and mediators in the saliva, as well as changes in salivary flow rate.
Schematic illustration of the intradental innervation
A person of a chronological age of 65 years or older is referred to as “elderly.” The number of elderly, currently at 703 million globally, is expected to more than double in the next 30 years to about 1.5 billion. One in 6 people will consequently be over the age of 65 years, up from 1 in 11 in 2019. A survey on endodontists of the American Board of Endodontics found that patients over 65 years of age comprised 26% of all patients requiring endodontic treatment. Ageism refers to negative attitudes or prejudice toward older persons. Ageism results from stereotyping and myths surrounding old age. An investigation of dentists’ knowledge and attitudes toward the elderly suggests that dentists hold negative stereotypes and have inaccurate perceptions of the elderly. The purpose of this study was to compare endodontic treatment factors, treatment difficulties, and oral health–related quality of life (OHRQOL) between elderly and young patients.
Primary nonsurgical root canal treatment (RCT) is performed to save teeth that otherwise will be extracted when the dental pulp is inflamed (pulpitis), infected (pulp necrosis), or when there is an indication for elective treatment. People generally want to keep their natural teeth for life. Root canal treatment is often considered a difficult procedure for both the patient and treatment provider. According to the World Health Organization, quality of life refers to individual’s perceptions of their positions in life within the context of the culture and value systems as well as their goals, expectations, and beliefs. The aim of this study was to investigate the treatment outcome four years after primary nonsurgical RCT performed in an undergraduate student clinic with case difficulty, instrumentation method, endodontic mishaps, and coronal restoration as variables. A clinical examination and radiographic assessment were performed, followed by an evaluation of patient's quality of life.
Nordic Endodontic Assessment Form
Dental practitioners often perform endodontic treatment on teeth that are difficult and challenging. Endodontic treatment is sometimes associated with treatment related problems such as mishaps, procedural errors, iatrogenic errors, complications, accidents and in serious cases, malpractice. These mishaps in general are closely linked to case difficulty. A new case difficulty evaluation form, the Nordic Endodontic Assessment Form places dental practitioners and teeth into 4 categories according to technical skills, theoretical knowledge and use of tools.
