Re: Endos who use biocompatible root canal fillers in NYC region?

Robert wrote:
"Mark & Steven Bornfeld" wrote in message
news:QP4mj.7708$A75.1343@xxxxxxxxxxx
Gutta percha has a long history of safe use. It has shown itself to be
biocompatible in terms of not provoking an inflammatory or cellular
response. You are correct that its biggest failure is that it simply does
not seal very well. This is mitigated to a certain extent by various
sealers that are used, but all root canal filling materials leak to a
certain extent. Of course the same is true of tooth filling materials.
It is a matter of degree.
Thermal methods of gutta percha sealing make a really beautiful-looking
x-ray. However, because of the significant coefficient of thermal
expansion, these have potential to leak as well due to thermal shrinkage.
All of these methods on the clinical level seem to work well. Resin
fillings seem to seal somewhat better, but I'm not sure what is done when
retreatment is necessary.

Thanks for the comprehensive response, as usual. What kind of sealer do I
want my endodontist to use, if I am interviewing endodontists for my root
canal? Wouldn't resin sealer make retreatment less likely?

Speaking of which, how long should a well done root canal last? Five years,
ten years, 20, 50?





There is no "should". If a root canal works, it has worked. Unless something enters the root canal system (say, a crown on the tooth has fallen off and the tooth is not promptly repared, leading to leakage from the mouth--it has been shown that the tip of the root can eventually be re-infected this way), the root canal should work indefinitely. When a tooth that has had successful root canal treatment is lost, it is usually for another reason--decay, fracture, periodontal disease.

Steve
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