Research Interests:
Research Interests:
It is well described that the presence of microbial flora in the pulp space of the tooth, and the inability of the immune system to remove these pathogens, are the major sources of peri-apical and radicular inflam-mation.1 Eradication of... more
It is well described that the presence of microbial flora in the pulp space of the tooth, and the inability of the immune system to remove these pathogens, are the major sources of peri-apical and radicular inflam-mation.1 Eradication of these pathogens from the pulp and root canal space by means of cleaning, shaping, disinfecting and complete obturation is necessary to safeguard the health of the periodontal tissues from endodontic infection and subsequent breakdown.2,3 The basic objectives of cleaning and shaping of root canals include: (1) removal of all infected soft and hard tissues; (2) creating space for delivery of disinfectants and medicaments to the apical part of the canal; (3) facilitating three dimensional obturation and (4) preservation of radicular structures.4 Even modern endodontic file systems leave untouched areas on the root canal walls after preparation and show compaction of hard tissue debris.5 This debris consists of pulp tissue remnants, bacteria and dentine...
Research Interests:
Instrument fracture is a serious complication during endodontic treatment of teeth, having an adverse effect on the outcome of the nickel titanium (NiTi) treatment, especially if the fracture prevents apical access to the infected root... more
Instrument fracture is a serious complication during endodontic treatment of teeth, having an adverse effect on the outcome of the nickel titanium (NiTi) treatment, especially if the fracture prevents apical access to the infected root canal. Despite the advent of NiTi files, the risk of fracture during the endodontic preparation of root canals, especially in severely curved canals, remains a serious concern. The fracture of NiTi files during preparation may result in a compromised prognosis for the tooth. In the presence of periapical lesions, instrument fracture may reduce the chances of successful healing.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Minimally invasive endodontics' specific focus on dentine preservation is gaining popularity. Before deciding on the appropriate endodontic access cavity design, clinicians should investigate the advantages and disadvantages... more
Minimally invasive endodontics' specific focus on dentine preservation is gaining popularity. Before deciding on the appropriate endodontic access cavity design, clinicians should investigate the advantages and disadvantages associated with different treatment modalities. The purpose of this article is to provide a summary of possible advantages and disadvantages of different endodontic access cavity designs with the focus on traditional, conservative and ultra-conservative endodontic access cavities, specifically in molar teeth. No conclusive evidence is found in the literature favouring one access cavity design above another and clinicians are advised to evaluate each case individually when deciding on the appropriate access cavity design for that specific case. Fracture resistance, proper shaping in order to facilitate irrigation and disinfection, as well as canal location and orifice detection are some of the contributing factors in selecting an appropriate access cavity des...
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Research Interests:
The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare canalcentering ability and transportation of three analogous reciprocating shaping instruments after glide path preparation. Radiographs were used to select sixty untreated mesiobuccal... more
The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare canalcentering ability and transportation of three analogous reciprocating shaping instruments after glide path preparation. Radiographs were used to select sixty untreated mesiobuccal canals with curvatures of 25° to 35° from extracted, human, mandibular molars. The canals were randomly divided into three groups for glide path preparation and shaping (n = 20): Group TWOG (WaveOne Gold Glider + Primary WaveOne Gold); Group TEF (Edge GlidePath + Primary EdgeOne Fire); and Group TOFG (One File G Reciprocating Glide Path File + Primary Shaping file). Pre- and post-preparation micro-CT scans were compared at levels 7 mm (coronal), 5 mm (midroot), and 3 mm (apical) from the apex to evaluate transportation and centering ratios. There were no significant differences in centering ratios at the coronal and midroot levels (P > 0.05). Transportation values were similar at the coronal level and for the combined mean values (P > 0.05). Tra...
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Materials Science, Dentistry, Medicine, Endodontics, Root Canal, and 3 moreDentin, Nickel Titanium, and Molar
To compare (i) canal centering ability and transportation of Primary WaveOne Gold in combination with WaveOne Gold Glider with ProTaper Next X2 in combination with ProGlider using Micro-CT, and (ii) difference in final preparation times... more
To compare (i) canal centering ability and transportation of Primary WaveOne Gold in combination with WaveOne Gold Glider with ProTaper Next X2 in combination with ProGlider using Micro-CT, and (ii) difference in final preparation times between these two preparation groups. Mesiobuccal canals of 50 mandibular first molars were used. Teeth were randomly divided into two preparation groups. Results were analysed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Apically, ProGlider/ProTaper Next X2 demonstrated better centering ratio values and lower transportation values compared to WaveOne Gold Glider/Primary WaveOne Gold (p.05). No statistically significant differences between the canal preparation times were found (p
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Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Introduction For many years gold and amalgam have been the materials of choice for restorations in the posterior dentition due to the clinician’s desire for predictable function and a lack of viable aesthetic treatment choices. Today, the... more
Introduction For many years gold and amalgam have been the materials of choice for restorations in the posterior dentition due to the clinician’s desire for predictable function and a lack of viable aesthetic treatment choices. Today, the benefits of posterior resin restorations extend far beyond appearance alone. Features and benefits include functional stability, conservative cavity preparation, tooth reinforcement, biocompatibility and repairability (Jackson, 1999). Posterior composite resin restorations are generally performed as fine detail work. The restorative phase requires attention to detail while following a meticulous clinical technique. According to Liebenberg (2001), the direct Class II posterior composite resin restoration is one of the most challenging restorations due to the operative intricacy and proximal precinct. Clinical performance is affected by the degree of fine detail that can be seen by the clinician during any given dental operation. The use of magnifica...
Research Interests:
Instrument fracture is a serious complication during endodontic treatment of teeth, having an adverse effect on the outcome of the nickel titanium (NiTi) treatment, especially if the fracture prevents apical access to the infected root... more
Instrument fracture is a serious complication during endodontic treatment of teeth, having an adverse effect on the outcome of the nickel titanium (NiTi) treatment, especially if the fracture prevents apical access to the infected root canal. Despite the advent of NiTi files, the risk of fracture during the endodontic preparation of root canals, especially in severely curved canals, remains a serious concern. The fracture of NiTi files during preparation may result in a compromised prognosis for the tooth. In the presence of periapical lesions, instrument fracture may reduce the chances of successful healing.
Research Interests:
The survey revealed an incidence of partial or complete canal obliteration of 3.86% with initial examination. Only three (7.3%) of the 41 teeth developed periradicular rarefactions after the four-year follow-up. Over 79% of the... more
The survey revealed an incidence of partial or complete canal obliteration of 3.86% with initial examination. Only three (7.3%) of the 41 teeth developed periradicular rarefactions after the four-year follow-up. Over 79% of the participants could recall a traumatic dental injury between the age of 10 and 16 years of age. The authors of this study concluded that a significant correlation exists between a prior traumatic dental injury and the incidence of CM. They also commented that associated periapical rarefaction is uncommon and that endodontic intervention should only be considered in rare circumstances.
Research Interests:
It is well described that the presence of microbial flora in the pulp space of the tooth, and the inability of the immune system to remove these pathogens, are the major sources of peri-apical and radicular inflam-mation.1 Eradication of... more
It is well described that the presence of microbial flora in the pulp space of the tooth, and the inability of the immune system to remove these pathogens, are the major sources of peri-apical and radicular inflam-mation.1 Eradication of these pathogens from the pulp and root canal space by means of cleaning, shaping, disinfecting and complete obturation is necessary to safeguard the health of the periodontal tissues from endodontic infection and subsequent breakdown.2,3 The basic objectives of cleaning and shaping of root canals include: (1) removal of all infected soft and hard tissues; (2) creating space for delivery of disinfectants and medicaments to the apical part of the canal; (3) facilitating three dimensional obturation and (4) preservation of radicular structures.4 Even modern endodontic file systems leave untouched areas on the root canal walls after preparation and show compaction of hard tissue debris.5 This debris consists of pulp tissue remnants, bacteria and dentine...
Research Interests:
The aim of this study was to compare the failure rate and canal preparation times of the Primary WaveOne Gold file (Dentsply Sirona, Ballaigues, Switzerland) with the One Curve file (Micro Mega, Besancon, France). The influence of glide... more
The aim of this study was to compare the failure rate and canal preparation times of the Primary WaveOne Gold file (Dentsply Sirona, Ballaigues, Switzerland) with the One Curve file (Micro Mega, Besancon, France). The influence of glide path preparation on failure rate and final preparation times were also evaluated. Endo training blocks (Dentsply Sirona) with simulated canals were separated into four groups: Group 1: Primary WaveOne Gold with WaveOne Gold Glider; Group 2: Primary WaveOne Gold without glide path; Group 3: One Curve with One G; Group 4: One Curve without glide path. The number of training blocks that were shaped before instrument fracture occurred was recorded. Glide path and final preparation times were also recorded. Where no glide path was prepared, One Curve file prepared a significantly higher number of canals (14.33± 0.58) than the Primary WaveOne Gold (4.6 ± 1.34) before instrument fracture occurred (p<0.001). The One Curve with One G Glide Path file prepar...
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Manufacturers are constantly developing new products to optimise endodontic treatment. These newer file systems are often associated with increasing expenditure of instrumentation and can affect the cost effectiveness of root canal... more
Manufacturers are constantly developing new products to optimise endodontic treatment. These newer file systems are often associated with increasing expenditure of instrumentation and can affect the cost effectiveness of root canal treatment. Recently, companies have emerged that claim to have successfully reproduced many of the more established endodontic file systems manufactured by Dentsply Sirona (Ballaigues, Switzerland). EdgeEndo (Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA) and PacDent (Brea, CA, USA), which manufacture files similar in design to that of Dentsply Sirona, claim that they are similar and sell them at a lower price. A performance comparison of the replica file systems to their original is of clinical importance. The aim of this ex vivo study was to compare the total glide path and canal preparation times of WaveOne Gold Glider (Dentsply Sirona) combined with the Primary WaveOne Gold (Dentsply Sirona), Edge GlidePath (Edge Endo, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA) followed by the Pri...
Once root canal treatment is considered, the treating clinicians must be aware of the real possibility that complications and unforeseen accidents can occur during any stage of the treatment. Complications and accidents may include... more
Once root canal treatment is considered, the treating clinicians must be aware of the real possibility that complications and unforeseen accidents can occur during any stage of the treatment. Complications and accidents may include instrument separation, root perforation on different levels and ledge formation.
Research Interests:
The aim was to evaluate apical debris extrusion produced by a single-file system used in counter-clockwise reciprocation and compare it to rotary single-file systems used in clockwise rotation and clockwise reciprocation. A total of 100... more
The aim was to evaluate apical debris extrusion produced by a single-file system used in counter-clockwise reciprocation and compare it to rotary single-file systems used in clockwise rotation and clockwise reciprocation. A total of 100 first mandibular molars were divided into five groups (n = 20): (i) WaveOne Gold Glider and Primary instrument in counter-clockwise reciprocation; (ii) One G and One Curve file in clockwise rotation; (iii) One G and One Curve file in clockwise reciprocation; (iv) TruNatomy Glider and Prime instrument in clockwise rotation; and (v) TruNatomy Glider and Prime instrument in clockwise reciprocation. Apical debris extruded was measured after glide path preparation and canal preparation. WaveOne Gold displayed significantly higher amounts of apical debris extrusion in all the groups (P < 0.05). The lowest mean values were recorded by clockwise reciprocation groups: TruNatomy Glider, One Curve and TruNatomy Glider and Prime combined value, for glide path, canal preparation and combined mean values, respectively.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Dentistry and Endodontics
Research Interests:
The primary cause of a periapical inflammatory lesion is intra-radicular microbial infection. Prevention and elimination of apical periodontitis is achieved through successful endodontic treatment. Endodontic treatment is designed to... more
The primary cause of a periapical inflammatory lesion is intra-radicular microbial infection. Prevention and elimination of apical periodontitis is achieved through successful endodontic treatment. Endodontic treatment is designed to maintain and restore the health of the periapical tissues and prevent periapical disease. It may be defined as the combination of mechanical instrumentation of the root canal system with bactericidal irrigation and obturation with an inert material. Technically, the goal of instrumentation and irrigation is to debride and entirely remove infected tissue debris from the root canal system and create a uniform conical shape that allows medicament delivery and adequate obturation. Microbiologically, the goal of instrumentation and irrigation is to eliminate micro-organisms, reduce their survival in the root canal system and neutralise any antigenic potential of the microbial components remaining in the canal.