21st century endodontics. Part 5

This series of papers has attempted to present the latest principles in root canal treatment. It is hoped that by comparing the techniques described with their own clinical procedures, the reader will have considered whether changes may be appropriate. These may have been immediate, for example introducing an EDTA solution as an additional irrigant, or more long-term, perhaps by planning to attend hands-on courses to perfect a new procedure before using it in vivo. Professor Dick Walker, an excellent and eminent endodontist, once said that he would not even think of doing something to a patient that he had not done at least twenty times, (and probably more), on an extracted tooth. Wise words indeed! Unfortunately even with practice and persistence, problems may arise during or after root canal treatment. The focus of this paper is on some of the more common problems that may be encountered and how endodontic treatment failures may be addressed.