Composite resins have been advocated as a reinforcing build-up material for badly damaged endodontically treated teeth with flared canals. However, the control of an autocuring composite resin is difficult because it polymerizes rapidly within the root canal. While the light-curing composite resins are more user friendly, their polymerization can be a problem deep in the root canal. Light-transmitting plastic posts allow the transmission of light into the root canal and enable intraradicular composite resin reconstitution and reinforcement of weakened roots. At the same time, the light-transmitting plastic post forms an optimal post canal in the rehabilitated root and can accurately fit a matching retentive final post. These light-transmitting posts are a useful addition to the dental armamentarium.
The cross-sectional canal morphology and minimum widths of buccal and lingual canal walls were studied in 20 mandibular molars with C-shaped roots and canal orifices. The roots were mounted in clear resin blocks and sectioned transversely at 1-mm intervals. A total of 154 cross-sections were evaluated with an image analyzer. Twelve different longitudinal canal configurations were identified. The most prevalent were types 1-2 and 1-2-1 with each type occurring in four roots. Evaluation of the cross-sectional morphology showed that the configurations were complete "C" (27%), incomplete C (64%), and non-C (9%). The mean value for the minimum width of the lingual canal wall was 0.58 +/- 0.21 mm and the buccal wall was 0.96 +/- 0.26 mm. This suggests that there is a higher risk of root perforation at the thinner lingual walls of C-shaped canals during shaping and post canal preparation procedures. Both buccal and lingual canal walls were frequently narrower at mesial locations.
Existing literature suggests a relationship between the amount of remaining tooth structure and the fracture resistance of the restored endodontically treated tooth. This study investigated the amount of tooth structure remaining following various tooth preparations used in the restoration of the endodontically treated maxillary second premolar. Illustrations of the maxillary second premolar in buccopalatal, mesiodistal and occlusal sections were drawn to scale. Outlines of various intra- and extracoronal preparations were superim-posed on the illustrations to reveal the amount of tooth tissue remaining in each case. Preparations for a ceramic inlay, inlay with palatal cusp coverage and onlay left 2.0-2.5mm of tooth structure buccally and palatally. Following preparation for a metal-ceramic crown, approximately 1.0mm of tooth structure remained buccally, and between 1.6mm-1.8mm palatally. Preparation for an all-ceramic crown was observed to leave 1.0mm-1.2mm of tooth structure surrounding what remained of the endodontic access cavity. It was concluded that decisions as to the type of definitive restoration to restore the endodontically treated maxillary second premolar may be influenced, amongst other factors, by information on the amount of tooth tissue remaining following preparation.