Apical limit of root canal instrumentation and obturation, part 1. Literature review

One of the major controversies in root canal therapy concerns the apical limit of instrumentation and obturation. The results of longitudinal prognostic studies, basic anatomical knowledge of the apical third of the root canal, and the histological pulp reaction to caries progression demonstrated the presence of a vital apical pulp remnant, even in the presence of a periapical lesion. Finally necrosis and bacteria establish themselves in the periapical lesion. All valid prognosis studies confirm the practice of staying short of the apex with a homogeneous obturation to obtain the highest success rate of 90-94% (when done by or under supervision of specialists; results in the general population had a failure rate greater than 50%). The location of the apical foramen(ina) related to root canal treatment most frequently ends short of the apex, often by several millimetres.