Endodontics: Page 178

A patient complains about a pain like a jolt of lightning that courses through her face whenever she brushes her teeth. Before you reach for your forceps and elevators, consider this. It may not be a dental problem at all.This pain could be a symptom of trigeminal neuralgia, which is a nervous disorder commonly caused by an enlarged artery or a vein pressing on the trigeminal nerve at the base of the brain.

Are you always on the look-out for easier, more efficient techniques of delivering anesthesia? When it comes to numbing mandibular first molars, buccal infiltration (BI), using 4 percent articaine, works faster and has the same success rate as the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANBs) method, according to a new study in the January 2008 Journal of Endodontics.

What do IRS audits and root canals have in common? They both strike terror in the hearts of people. But there is a simple way to reduce the trauma of getting a root canal -- go to an endodontist. At least that’s what a recent press release from the American Association of Endodontists claims, which points to an L.C. Williams & Associates poll. The poll's not-so-surprising results: almost half of the surveyed people said that they would prefer to go to a specialist (namely, an endodontist) for a root canal.

Can this pulp be saved? It's a question occurring more and more often as dentists confront a growing number of cracked teeth. Cracks can irritate pulp, but according to a new study, catching these cracks soon enough can prevent the need for a root canal treatment.