Page 15 - The Beauty and Sorrow in Endodontics-Chapter 1

(Fig 13E) (Fig 13F)
If the lateral canals are narrow or long, If there is inadequate shaping of the

root canal sealer will often enter the apex, then the lateral canals are often
canals first, followed by the warmed filled with only the sealer.

gutta percha.

The pre-operative radiograph shows a blurred apical portion on the lower left
first premolar (Fig 13A), this is often indicative of a calcified canal but is not always
the case. In the early days, dentists generally assume lower premolars only have a

single canal, however, upon closer examination, three separate canals can be seen
diverging from the main canal mid-root (Fig 13B). Anytime there is a sudden
disappearance of the main root canal, one has to consider the possibility of split canals

or abnormal anatomy prior to starting treatment.

After completion of cleaning, shaping, and three-dimensional obturation with
warm gutta percha in a complex root canal system, teeth that have undergone
decalcification and transparency treatment allow researchers to examine the obturated

canals more clearly. One can clearly see, the lateral canals that are shorter or have
larger openings are often 100% filled with gutta percha (Fig 13C, 13D). Often these
lateral canals will only show up on the radiographs as white-in-white dots due to

obstruction from surrounding structure due to the angle of the radiographs. However,
after decalcification and transparency treatment, it is evident that these lateral canals
have been properly filled.

On the other hand, if the lateral canals are narrower or longer, then the

materials that fill the canals often consists of both gutta percha and sealer (Fig 13E). If,
however, there is inadequate shaping and disinfection of the apex, then the canal
opening is often not expanded wide enough for gutta percha to enter, and thus will be

filled with only sealer (Fig 13F).

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