Endodontic Resident University of Washington Seattle, Washington, United States
One of the main goals in root canal treatment is bacterial removal through adequate cleaning and shaping. In order to achieve this it is important to determine an accurate working length using an electronic apex locator (EAL). A common challenge in endodontics is obtaining a consistent and accurate working length in teeth with metal restorations. This is mainly due to the presence of NaOCl remnants in the chamber which cause the apex locator to give inaccurate readings. This could lead to under-instrumentation, which in turn can reduce the success rate of endodontic therapy as there may be remaining tissue and bacteria in the apical portion of the canal. This table clinic aims to present a few novel techniques to overcome the inconsistent EAL readings in teeth with metal restorations. One technique utilizes ethanol as an irrigating fluid before the use of the EAL because the ethanol conducts less current than sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as the irrigant. Additional techniques involve covering the coronal portion of the file with Teflon tape or a plastic sleeve fabricated from an Endo BC Sealer tip to avoid metal conductivity between the restoration and file. These methods are safe, easy, and efficient enhancements that utilize existing armamentarium available to the clinician in the operatory. These methods would be beneficial to the clinician to use the apex locator accurately in teeth with metal restorations.
