Abstract
Root canal therapy, also known as endodontic treatment, is a dental procedure to treat the infected pulp of a tooth. A series of steps are done by the dentist during this treatment including X-ray imaging of the tooth, mechanical preparation and extraction of the pulp, irrigation of the root canal, and filling of the cavity. Of these steps, the root canal irrigation is particularly crucial as a significant number of root canal procedures encounter challenges at this stage. Despite its importance, no standardized endodontic irrigation procedure exists to date. Discrepancies in irrigation techniques can result in inconsistent success rates, with research suggesting as low as 65% efficiency. While a variety of factors control the irrigation procedure, it is troubling to note that attempts to create a universal endodontic database are absent. As a first step, an initial survey was conducted among a few endodontists to gauge their perspectives on establishing and maintaining such a database. Additionally, the respondents were asked to rank the key factors influencing irrigation while also offering insights into how they assess the effectiveness of an irrigation process. This paper is the first step towards developing a standardized irrigation protocol that can be incorporated into endodontic education programs.
