Dental News - Visual information and imaging technology in endodontics

Prof. Hideaki Suda & Dr Toshihiko Yoshioka, Japan

Wed. 26. February 2014

save

In addition to intra-oral and panoramic radiographs,various visual techniques are available for endodontic treatment today. Above all, information obtained through the dental microscope has become essential.

“See better, do better” is a slogan in modern endodontics. The dental microscope is a wonderful tool for problem-solving in endodontics, for instance for the removal of broken instruments and root-filling materials, finding missed canals, perforation repair, diagnosis of tooth fractures, evaluation of marginal integrity of restorations, precise manipulation in periradicular surgery and deep dental caries, and confirmation of root-canal cleanliness. Yoshioka et al. (2002), for example, reported that the rate of detection of root-canal orifices under a microscope was significantly higher than the number detected with the naked eye. It was also found that surgical loupes were relatively ineffective compared with the microscope.

In addition, computed tomography (CT) is becoming increasingly popular among endodontists, particularly in the assessment of difficult cases and for problem-solving in endodontic treatment. Higher use (34.2 per cent) of CBCT was demonstrated by a recent webbased survey of active members of the American Association of Endodontists in the US and Canada (Dailey et al. 2010). Owing to its high radiation dosage, however, careful consideration is needed before taking CT images. Consequently, a project team from the Japanese Association for Dental Science presented a report in 2010 on the use of CT in dentistry, and a joint position statement by the American Association of Endodontists and American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology was issued in February 2011. The combined use of the dental microscope and CT for apicectomy was approved as an advanced dental technology by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan in 2007, and seven Japanese dental hospitals have been using the technology since 1 February 2013.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a highresolution imaging technique that allows micro-metre-scale imaging of biological tissues over small distances. It was introduced in 1991 and uses infrared light waves that are reflected from the internal microstructure within the biological tissues (Shemesh et al. 2008). There have been reports on its use for intra-canal imaging, diagnosis of vertical root fracture (Yoshioka et al. 2013) and perforations. Since OCT isnon-invasive and free of radiation, this technology may be very useful for endodontic diagnosis and treatment (Figs. 1a–2).

This article was published in roots international magazine of endodontology No. 3/2013.

embedImagecenter("Imagecenter_1_973",973, "large");

To post a reply please login or register

“Patients always respond favourably to visual information, especially when it involves their mouth!”

Visual tools such as intra-oral scanning and photography have transformed the way clinicians communicate with their patients, making complex dental ...

Successful endodontics—how to effectively use modern endodontic solutions in everyday practice

How to achieve greater efficiency, safety and job satisfaction in endodontics—endodontist and trainer Dr Sabine Remensberger has been sharing her ...

Use of 3D technology in the diagnosis and treatment of endodontic disease

In recent years, the technology associated with endodontic therapy has undergone a veritable revolution. For years, intraoral radiographs were used as the ...

Align Technology releases new imaging system

COLOGNE, Germany: Align Technology recently announced that it was launching the iTero Element 5D imaging system, which provides a comprehensive approach to ...

Trends in dental technology—analogue and digital go hand in hand

This year, the International Dental Show’s (IDS) centenary year, the 40th edition of IDS, the world’s leading trade fair for dentistry, will focus on ...

Fotona’s SWEEPS in action at IDS 2025: A game-changer in endodontics and beyond

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia: At this year’s International Dental Show (IDS), held from 25 to 29 March in Cologne in Germany, more than 135,000 visitors from 156 ...

Restorative and endodontic experts meet in Zurich

GLATTFELDEN, Switzerland: On 16 and 17 June, COLTENE invited close to 100 dental experts from all over Europe to Zurich in Switzerland for a two-day seminar...

3D technology is the future, and we need to dive in today

An already powerful dental technology continues to grow in sophistication

The technology of clear aligners has revolutionised modern orthodontics, offering an aesthetic and comfortable alternative to fixed appliances. Since its ...

Laser in endodontics (Part II)

After explaining the basic physics of the laser and its effects on both bacteria and dentinal surfaces, the second part of this article series will analyse ...

Education

Live webinar
Mon. 15 September 2025
1:00 pm EST (New York)