Anna, a 34-year-old teacher, presents to your clinic with a chief complaint of persistent pain in her lower left molar region. She reports experiencing discomfort for two weeks, which has intensified over the past three days. Anna’s medical history reveals she has asthma, managed with an inhaled corticosteroid and a long-acting beta-agonist, and a severe latex allergy that once caused an anaphylactic reaction during a dental visit. She is otherwise healthy, with no recent hospitalizations or other chronic conditions.
Clinical examination identifies extensive caries in tooth 36, with tenderness to percussion. Radiographic assessment confirms irreversible pulpitis with periapical radiolucency. Anna expresses anxiety about receiving local anesthesia due to past experiences and concerns about her allergies. She is also concerned about the potential for breathing difficulties during the procedure.
Radiographic assessment shows periapical radiolucency and evidence of pulp necrosis. The patient is scheduled for root canal therapy. The primary focus is to ensure adequate chemomechanical preparation while addressing clinical challenges.
Question 5: In what precise sequence should chemomechanical preparation steps be performed in a case involving calcified canals and external inflammatory resorption to ensure optimal outcomes?
Correct Answer: D. Prepare the access cavity, determine working length with an electronic apex locator and radiograph, irrigate with sodium hypochlorite, shape canal, and obturate with appropriate materials.
Justifications:
A: Incorrect. While patency files and EDTA are important, the sequence misplaces key steps such as working length determination and access cavity preparation. Bioceramic sealers are effective but secondary to proper preparation.
B: Incorrect. Irrigation must follow access cavity preparation, and shaping cannot proceed before confirming working length. Gutta-percha obturation is standard but does not define the optimal sequence.
C: Incorrect. Glide path files are useful, but determining working length with radiographic confirmation is secondary to access preparation. Alternating irrigants can be beneficial but complicates the sequence unnecessarily.
D: Correct. Preparing the access cavity ensures visibility and entry, while combining electronic apex locators with radiographs provides accurate working length. Sodium hypochlorite is the gold standard for irrigation, followed by shaping and obturation.
E: Incorrect. Tactile sensation for working length determination is unreliable, and chlorhexidine as an irrigant does not dissolve tissue, making the sequence suboptimal.
Correct Answer: D. Prepare the access cavity, determine working length with an electronic apex locator and radiograph, irrigate with sodium hypochlorite, shape canal, and obturate with appropriate materials.
Justifications:
A: Incorrect. While patency files and EDTA are important, the sequence misplaces key steps such as working length determination and access cavity preparation. Bioceramic sealers are effective but secondary to proper preparation.
B: Incorrect. Irrigation must follow access cavity preparation, and shaping cannot proceed before confirming working length. Gutta-percha obturation is standard but does not define the optimal sequence.
C: Incorrect. Glide path files are useful, but determining working length with radiographic confirmation is secondary to access preparation. Alternating irrigants can be beneficial but complicates the sequence unnecessarily.
D: Correct. Preparing the access cavity ensures visibility and entry, while combining electronic apex locators with radiographs provides accurate working length. Sodium hypochlorite is the gold standard for irrigation, followed by shaping and obturation.
E: Incorrect. Tactile sensation for working length determination is unreliable, and chlorhexidine as an irrigant does not dissolve tissue, making the sequence suboptimal.