Assessment of referral cases for root canal therapy / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess referral cases for root canal therapy to provide clinical evidence with establishment of referral system.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A questionnaire was designed to collect 312 cases (355 teeth) referred to Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University for root canal therapy from April to June in 2011. The questionnaire consisted of questions such as age, gender, occupation, general disease and medical histories of patients, sources. Difficulty of treatment before therapy and reasons for referral were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 355 referral teeth, the most were mandibular first molars (17%), the greatest percentage of reasons were calcified root canals (30%), the second was root canal retreatment (24%). 72% of teeth belong to the complicated difficulty (Class III), while 7% were listed as the uncomplicated difficulty (Class I). No significantly difference from different sources was found (P = 0.9).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Establishment of referral system needs cooperation with every dentist. Difficulty of cases for root canal therapy before treatment should be first evaluated to treat or to refer. Referral cases for root canal therapy should be treated by endodontist of corresponding level according to the difficulty.</p>

The antibacterial efficacy of KaVo KEY laser on Enterococcus faecalis within infected root canals and roots surface in vitro / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of KaVo KEY laser on Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) within infected root canals and roots surface in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty single-rooted teeth were selected, and infected root canals and roots surface vitro models were prepared. Then, these specimens were divided into three groups. First group were untreated as blank control. The other two groups were the laser groups: Irradiated 15 s and 30 s respectively with 80 mJ and 140 mJ in root canals and on roots surface. Microbiological samples were collected from root canals and roots surface at two time points (before irrigation and immediately after irrigation). The dentin chips from three different zone of part of root canals in each group were immediately collected and were cultured for 24 h in brain heart infusion (BHI).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The number of E. faecalis in root canal and root surface in each of the groups were effectively reduced (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference between each two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the blank control, the bacterial number in 100 microm of dental tubules decreased after specimens treated with 80 mJ, and the experimental group irradiated 15 s was a significant decease (P < 0.05). The other groups were no changed in different zone of dental tubules.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>KaVo KEY laser is effective on sterilizing infected root canals and roots surface. It has also significant effect on bacterial in superficial dental tubules with low energy and short time.</p>