Controversies in clinical endodontics: Part 3. Filling from the open position

Controversies have been common in the clinical treatment of endodontically involved teeth for many years. This series of articles discusses the advantages and disadvantages of three of the major disagreements in the field at this time. They are: (1) What is the significance of lateral canals and how are they best filled? (2) Should treatment be completed in a single appointment or should multiple appointments be involved? And (3) Can the canal(s) be filled after the tooth is left open or should such treatment be avoided? This article discusses filling from the open position.