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The objective of this in vivo study was to assess the effect of the root canal irrigation by negative and positive apical pressure on the expression of molecules that are an indicative of cell differentiation with mineralizing phenotype in teeth of dogs with incomplete rhizogenesis and induced periapical lesion. A total of 30 teeth (60 roots) were distributed into 3 groups (n=20): EndoVac®, Conventional and Control. After 90 days, the routine histotechnical procedures were performed and the sections were submitted to immunohistochemical technique for the staining of osteopontin (OPN), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the RUNX2 transcription factor in the apical and periapical regions of the roots. A semi-quantitative analysis of the positive immunostaining was performed and the intensity of the expression was classified in absent (0), mild (1), moderate (2), or intense (3). Scores data were statistically analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test and Dunn post-test, and the significance level was set at 5%. RUNX2 immunostaining revealed that in the negative pressure group there was a significantly stronger (p<0.05) immunostaining in comparison to the control group. Regarding the OPN expression, it was not possible to detect a statistically significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). After analyzing ALP immunostaining, a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups (p<0.05), and the negative pressure group showed a markedly stronger mark immunostaining than the control group. The results of the present in vivo study allowed concluding that negative apical pressure irrigation presents mineralizing potential in immature teeth with apical periodontitis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiographic periapical repair and the synthesis of inflammatory mediators after endodontic treatment in a single session, using different irrigation protocols, in teeth with apical periodontitis. Experimental apical periodontitis were induced in dog's teeth randomly assigned into 4 groups: G1 - Irrigation by Negative Apical Pressure (n= 20); G2 - Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation (n= 20), G3 - Positive Pressure Irrigation (n= 20); G4 - apical periodontitis without treatment (n= 20). After 180 days, the animals were euthanized, the tissues removed and submitted to histotechnical processing for immunohistochemical analysis of osteopontin (OPN), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and interleukin 1-a (IL-1a). Radiographic analysis was performed using the Periapical Index (PAI), obtained prior to and 180 days following endodontic treatment. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Fisher's Exact test or Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn's post-test (a = 5%). Radiographically, after endodontic treatment, apical periodontitis persisted in 35% of G1 specimens, 40% of G2 and 40% of G3 (p>0.05), although a PAI reduction was observed (p<0.05). By immunohistochemical evaluation, endodontic treatment resulted in lower synthesis of TNF-a and OPN in periapical region, compared to apical periodontitis without treatment (p<0.05). Production of IL-1 was not modulated by endodontic treatment (p>0.05). Periapical healing was observed in approximately 60% of the cases after endodontic treatment performed in a single session with lower synthesis of TNF-a and OPN in the periapical region, regardless of the irrigation protocol used.

Aim: To compare the apical negative pressure irrigation (ANP) with conventional irrigation in the teeth of immature dogs with apical periodontitis., Methods: Fifty-two immature pre-molar root canals were randomly assigned into 4 groups: ANP (n=15); conventional irrigation (n=17); healthy teeth (control) (n = 10); and teeth with untreated apical periodontitis (control) (n=10). After induction of apical periodontitis, teeth were instrumented using EndoVac® (apical negative pressure irrigation) or conventional irrigation. The animals were euthanized after 90 days. The sections were stained by HE and analyzed under conventional and fluorescence microscopy. TRAP histoenzymology was also performed. Statistical analyses were performed with the significance level set at 5%., Results: There was difference in the histopathological parameters between ANP and conventional groups (p<0.05). The ANP group showed a predominance of low magnitude inflammatory infiltrate, a smaller periodontal ligament, and lower mineralized tissue resorption. There were no differences in the periapical lesion extensions between the ANP and conventional groups (p>0.05). However, a lower number of osteoclasts was observed in the ANP group (p<0.05)., Conclusion: The EndoVac® irrigation system presented better biological results and more advanced repair process in immature teeth with apical periodontitis than the conventional irrigation system, confirming the hypothesis.

Introduction: Cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging is a valuable adjunct to endodontic practice. Among the endodontic applications of CBCT imaging, it aids in the diagnosis of apical periodontitis, often in cases in which there is no evidence of pathosis identified by conventional imaging. The purpose of this study was to correlate the presence of apical periodontitis of teeth evaluated with 2-dimensional periapical (PA) radiographs and 3-dimensional CBCT volumes with clinical signs and symptoms., Methods: Clinical records were reviewed from patients examined at the graduate endodontics clinic. The examination included clinical examination, sensibility tests, PA radiographs, and limited field-of-view CBCT scans. Of 498 cases, 67 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were evaluated for apical periodontitis and symptomology. CBCT slices and PA radiographs were evaluated by 2 board-certified endodontists and a board-certified oral and maxillofacial radiologist for the presence of apical periodontitis., Results: Thirty eight of 67 teeth showed the presence of apical radiolucencies on PA radiographs and on CBCT imaging, whereas 14 teeth had no evidence of apical radiolucencies on either imaging modality. Fifteen cases showed the presence of apical radiolucencies visible on CBCT imaging that were not visible on PA radiographic images. The presence of apical radiolucencies on CBCT slices and PA radiographic images was correlated with clinical signs and symptoms, including the chief complaint., Conclusions: This research has important implications to prevent overexposure to radiation and to provide treatment for those patients with persistent symptoms lacking proper diagnosis based on conventional (2D) radiographs., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of apical negative pressure irrigation (ANP) and passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) with apical positive pressure irrigation (PP-conventional irrigation) in the periapical repair of dogs' teeth with apical periodontitis., Methods: Forty-nine mesial and distal root canals of premolars of three dogs with experimentally induced periapical lesions were subjected to a single-session root canal treatment. The teeth were randomly assigned to three groups: ANP, PUI, and PP (control). After 180 days, the animals were euthanized, and the anatomic pieces were removed and subjected to histotechnical processing for morphological and morphometric histological analyses of hematoxylin and eosin (HE)-stained sections under conventional and fluorescence microscopy. Periapical lesion size before and 180 days after root canal treatment was measured by periapical radiographic examination. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) histoenzymology was performed for osteoclast counting and Brown and Brenn staining to assess bacteria. Data were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis test (α = 5 %)., Result: There were no statistically significant differences among the groups regarding periapical lesion size in the radiographic evaluation (p = 0.91). In the comparison of histopathological parameters, group ANP presented more homogeneous results. There was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.02) between groups ANP and PP, with better results for group ANP in which milder infiltrate inflammatory was observed. No statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was found among the groups with respect to periodontal ligament space, presence of mineralized tissue resorption, size of the periapical lesions, and number of osteoclasts., Conclusion: Although the three irrigation systems elicited similar periapical tissue response with respect to almost all evaluated parameters, ANP presented the mildest inflammatory infiltrate, suggesting an advantage over PP in the indication for clinical use., Clinical Relevance: Irrigation of the root canal systems is an extremely important step in root canal treatment. Therefore, it is of relevance to evaluate the efficacy of these systems by in vivo experimental models to provide scientific background for the clinical practice.

The present in vivo study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of apical negative pressure irrigation (ANP), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) and positive pressure irrigation (PP) in the reduction of intracanal bacteria of dogs' teeth with pulp necrosis and apical periodontitis. Eighty root canals were randomly distributed into 3 experimental and 2 control groups according to the irrigation delivery system: group ANP (n=20), group PUI (n=20), group PP (n=20), group PC (positive control - sterile saline irrigation; n=10) and group NC (negative control - vital pulps not subjected to bacterial inoculation; n=10). The first sample (S1) was collected at baseline, and the second sample (S2) was collected after the disinfection protocols. All samples were seeded in culture media for anaerobic bacteria. CFU counts were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis, Dwass-Steel-Critchlow-Fligner post-hoc and Chi-square followed by Tukey like multiple comparisons for proportions (α=0.05). All experimental groups were effective in reducing Gram-positive bacteria compared with PC (p<0.05). Regarding the reduction of Gram-negative bacteria, group ANP was significantly better than PP (p<0.05). No statistically significant difference could be found between PP and PUI (p>0.05). In dog's teeth with apical periodontitis, the use of ANP and PUI can be considered promising disinfection protocols as both delivery systems promoted a significant bacterial reduction.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate in vivo the revascularization and the apical and periapical repair after endodontic treatment using 2 techniques for root canal disinfection (apical negative pressure irrigation versus apical positive pressure irrigation plus triantibiotic intracanal dressing) in immature dogs' teeth with apical periodontitis., Study Design: Two test groups of canals with experimentally induced apical periodontitis were evaluated according to the disinfection technique: Group 1, apical negative pressure irrigation (EndoVac system), and Group 2, apical positive pressure irrigation (conventional irrigation) plus triantibiotic intracanal dressing. In Group 3 (positive control), periapical lesions were induced, but no endodontic treatment was done. Group 4 (negative control) was composed of sound teeth. The animals were killed after 90 days and the maxillas and mandibles were subjected to histological processing. The sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Mallory Trichrome and examined under light microscopy. A description of the apical and periapical features was done and scores were attributed to the following histopathological parameters: newly formed mineralized apical tissue, periapical inflammatory infiltrate, apical periodontal ligament thickness, dentin resorption, and bone tissue resorption. Intergroup comparisons were done by the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests (alpha = 0.05)., Results: Although statistically significant difference was found only for the inflammatory infiltrate (P < .05), Group 1 presented more exuberant mineralized formations, more structured apical and periapical connective tissue, and a more advanced repair process than Group 2., Conclusion: From the histological observations, sodium hypochlorite irrigation with the EndoVac system can be considered as a promising disinfection protocol in immature teeth with apical periodontitis, suggesting that the use of intracanal antibiotics might not be necessary., (Copyright (c) 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare in vivo the efficacy of 2 root canal disinfection techniques (apical negative pressure irrigation versus apical positive pressure irrigation plus triantibiotic intracanal dressing) in immature dog teeth with apical periodontitis., Study Design: Two groups of root canals with pulp necrosis and apical periodontitis were evaluated according to the disinfection technique: group 1: apical negative pressure irrigation (EndoVac system); and group 2: apical positive pressure irrigation (conventional irrigation) plus triantibiotic intracanal dressing. The first sample (S1) was collected after lesions were radiographically visible, and the second sample (S2) was collected after apical negative pressure irrigation (group 1) or conventional irrigation/triantibiotic dressing (group 2). All samples were seeded in a culture medium for anaerobic bacteria. Colony-forming unit counts were analyzed statistically by the Mann-Whitney test (alpha = .05)., Results: Microorganisms were present in 100% of canals of both groups in S1. In S2, microorganisms were absent in 88.6% of group 1's canals and 78.28% of group 2's canals. There was no significant difference between the groups in either S1 (P = .0963) or S2 (P = .0566). There was significant (P < .05) bacterial reduction from S1 to S2 in both groups., Conclusion: In immature teeth with apical periodontitis, use of the EndoVac system can be considered to be a promising disinfection protocol, because it provided similar bacterial reduction to that of apical positive pressure irrigation (conventional irrigation) plus intracanal dressing with the triantibiotic paste, and the use of intracanal antibiotics might not be necessary., (Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Endodontic treatment of third molars often becomes part of comprehensive treatment plans, as it represents a more conservative and less invasive approach than its therapeutic alternatives. The frequency of anatomic variations in mandibular molars, particularly root canal configuration, requires 2 periapical radiographs from different angles. Upon reading and interpretation of the radiographs, the clinician should consider the anatomy and level of difficulty of the endodontic procedure and refer the patient to an endodontist, if deemed necessary. The present article discusses the successful treatment and preservation of a mandibular third molar with 5 root canals, as well as methods for its clinical management.

Aim: To provide a treatment option to endodontists performing surgery that will enhance ridge preservation when tooth extraction is required., Summary: A 47-year-old woman was referred to an endodontic practice for apical root-end resection of tooth 22 because of refractory periradicular disease. Radiographic examination revealed a large periradicular lesion, 5 mm in diameter and a root-end filling at the root apex. The treatment plan included exploratory surgery and apical root-end resection. A vertical root fracture was diagnosed and the decision was made to extract the tooth. The socket was grafted with a cancellous bovine bone and covered with a resorbable collagen membrane. Follow-up examination revealed favourable bone healing with formation of a new cortical plate and the preservation of soft tissue width and height in the aesthetic area., Key Learning Points: The principles of guided bone regeneration. Preserving or reconstructing the extraction socket. Enhances the ability to restore function and provide aesthetically pleasing restorations to patients without violating the predictability and function of the prostheses.

Apical periodontitis is a common development associated with teeth with necrotic pulp. Although rare, some cases may present further complications, such as neuropathies in areas adjacent to the affected tooth. A case is described in which mental nerve paresthesia was associated with a non-vital mandibular premolar. Endodontic therapy resolved the paresthesia completely without further clinical complications.