Talk:Root canal

message: How about a history of root canal therapy ?
The article discusses modern therapy, and mentions inprovements (from what) over the last
10-20 years.
My recollection of seeing people who just had a root canal back in the 1980's CE, is that 
they looked like they just had lost a fight - black eyes and other facial brusing and pain.
It would be great if someone could contribute a knowledgable history of root canal therapy.
Mr. Grace 21:58, 10 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: History

message: A root canal performed on a patient by a dentist (not an endodonist, resulted in a file being broken off and lodging inside the canal. When this happens, it is usually given the status of "if it's not broken, don't fix it." Problems can occur including pain and infection of the tooth anywhere from five to fifteen years while the broken file remains intact. If a root canal patient experiences swelling and extreme pain in any tooth where a dentist or endodonist has told the patient a file was lost in the canal, seek immediate attention. The patient will suffer swelling, infection, and extreme pain. Usually, but not always an endodontist can extract the file(see solutions) once the infection has ceased, however, if the file is in an canal not wide enough to extract, the tooth may have to be pulled.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jean Scheid (talk • contribs) 19:58, 1 September 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Files Can Be Lost in Canals

message: According to QNA Dental, the following procedure(s) may be used to correct a file broken off during a root canal:
Your question about 'will the broken file cause a problem' does not have a straightforward answer however. Depending on the type of instrument and the location within the canal it broke at, some are actually able to be removed. There is no doubt that the best solution is to remove the broken file. The second best solution is to bypass it, clean around it, and ultimately incorporate it into the filling by entombing it in the root canal filling material. When these two things cannot be achieved, the third solution is to complete the case as well as possible and observe for future healing and resolution. Endodontic specialists are becoming more highly skilled in removing objects that should not be there (including broken files) from root canals. A variety of techniques to remove objects (such as broken files, posts and old filling material) are available. Many of the techniques require special training and instruments your general dentist may not be aware of or does not have.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jean Scheid (talk • contribs) 20:16, 1 September 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Endodontist Solutions for Broken Files

message: do you get to sleep through a root canal if you are under 18?does it hurt to get a root canal done ?(what about under 18?)
:See the 'pain section' above and in the article.  It answers both of these questions.  (Well, it could be explicit: a shot (of novacaine (sp?)) does not put you to sleep, but sometimes nitrous is used.  Without pain medication, it would be extremely painful.)
::I am told that general anesthetic is rarely used for root canals. It's understandable--as long as you are responsive to local anesthetic general would be an unnecessary risk. Being especially sensitive, I was found minimally responsive to novocaine, but they stuck to it. Six shots, I think, were needed, and they still didn't resort to nitrous. Fearwig 17:03, 1 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  getting a root canal 

message: Could someone explain why root canal treatment requires the drilling? Why not inject an antibiotic with a needle trough the gum and be done with it? (thus sprake some unknown person.)
I think the point is, it is absolutely necessary to get out ALL the organic soft material down inside there, so it does not rot over the coming years.  This requires mechanical procedures. 69.87.201.21 21:51, 17 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Why drill? 

message: I feel having a crown as part of the initial picture implies that its a nessacery part of the process. I'm also pretty sure (and the article text seems to agree) that in many cases it is not. Anyone have any comments on this? Plugwash 21:10, 26 May 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: If you have a root canal, you will eventually need a crown to protect the significantly weakened tooth.  It is not absolutely necessary to have it the minute you finish the root canal procedure, but a crown will be needed to extend the lifetime of the tooth. - Dozenist talk 21:56, 26 May 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I wonder if the country makes a difference to whats accepted practice. Afaict here in the UK the NHS won't pay for a crown until the tooth actually breaks. Plugwash 22:29, 26 May 2006 (UTC)

text: Well, finance may affect what commonly occurs in terms of treatment, but a tooth that has a root canal is sufficiently weakened to the point that a crown is needed if the goal is to extend the life of the tooth as long as possible.  If the tooth cracks, then it can break sufficiently enough for a crown to be too late and the only possible treatment is extraction of the cracked tooth. So well, a crown may not absolutely be "necessary" after a root canal, but it would be the ideal treatment if the purpose is to save the tooth (which I guess would be the purpose if you went through the trouble of having a root canal in the first place. - Dozenist talk 05:44, 27 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  illustration 

message: I just realized after looking closer at this article that there are two topics being discussed.  It begins with a discussion of the anatomy of a tooth's root canals and then goes further to discuss root canal therapy as in endodontics.  Should there not be two separate articles: one focused on the anatomical part of the tooth and another on the treatment when the tooth is infected? - Dozenist talk 18:45, 3 June 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I agree.  But who are you going to get to write about such an interesting subject? Dr-G - Illigetimi nil carborundum est. 18:08, 31 October 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I feel the sarcasm, man. :-P Don't worry, I am sure I can find someone... - Dozenist talk 21:20, 31 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Separate article?

message: The common local anesthesia dentists use today is Septocaine (4% Septocaine 1:100,000 epinephrine).  This medication replaces the traditonal lidocaine because it has less toxicity, more perfusion, and more profound analgesia.
Ibuprofen is not the medication commonly prescrided for relieving moderate-to-severe dental pain.  Typically the dentists would prescribe a "combined" medication.  The combined drug includes a nonsteroidal anti-inflamatory agent (NSAID) such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen and a narcotic agent such as codeine or hydrocodone.  Tylenol #4 and Vicodin ES are examples of these combined drugs.Drnguyen 04:00, 30 October 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: This may be an issue where POV is important.  The POV of the patient.  I have been prescribed Hydrocodone and the tylenol/codein combinations, but for me they are never as effective as plain Ibuprofen.  People experience pain and pain killers differently.  It is important to know what works for you. -- Samuel Wantman 22:59, 28 April 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Lidocaine and NSAID

message: As hinted to in the first section of this talk page... root canal definition, Root canal should actually refer to the pulp chamber of the tooth. Root canal therapy is what this page is about, not about the canals in the roots of teeth. (Bouncingmolar 09:23, 22 February 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I think people are more likely to search for "root canal" than "root canal therapy".  If it is moved, which I'm not advocating, please leave a redirect at "root canal" so people can find the article. RJFJR 14:22, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  That is exactly what would happen. a redirect or link would definately be present. But a root canal is just the name for the canal inside the root. root canal therapy/ root canal fillings, are the treatment of the canal in the root by filling it. Therefore it should be retitled, as root canal is the lay term for root canal therapy Bouncingmolar 22:06, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I know that, I just don't want it moved then a proposal to delete the redirect to be made.  I also wanted it on record that (I believe) this is the common term, and is what people would search on.  RJFJR 19:58, 9 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Whether it is the common term or not, it is not the correct term.  I am in favour of the name change.  Root canal should, in fact, be a separate article.  Dr-G - Illigetimi non carborundum est. 23:00, 9 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: It's irrelevant what people search for -- that's the beauty of Wikipedia.  We can redirect them. I have already begun an article on endodontic therapy, will redirect 'root canal therapy' to that, and place a disambiguation notation at the top of the 'root canal' article. DRosenbach (Talk | Contribs) 12:13, 19 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Proposed name change to 'Root canal therapy'

message: There was a  tag on the article, but I disagree (so I move it here).  There is no how to section - it doesn't tell someone how to do it (that's a job for a trained dentist).  What there is, is a description of what happens, which is not only encyclopedic by necesdsary (kind of hard to discuss something that you don't know what involves, AND the thing I relaly wanted to know was what is the dentist doing to me while I'm sitting here and is this going to hurt).
Therefore I removed the tag and created this discussion.  We can add it back or take care of it if there is consensus here. RJFJR 14:26, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  How to tag 

message: Replaced link to www.aae.org/patients/faqs/rootcanals.htm with one to WebMD article since the aae.org article no longer exists. GuyInCT 09:28, 6 September 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Removed External Link 

message: It is interesting to me that the criticisms of endodontics pioneers Weston Price and George Meinig are not addressed in this article.  IMHO, this reflects pro-industry POV. --207.244.187.107 (talk) 05:05, 10 December 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Pro-industry POV 

message: There should be some discussion of the tremendously increased cost of root canal therapy over the past 30 years due to the dental cartels strict control over the number of practicing dentists. The research of economist Morris Kleiner should be mentioned, as well as new evidence that dental therapists can do much of the same work as dentist so, but at lower cost. (See New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/28teeth.html?_r=3&scp=1&sq=Alaska+dentistry&st=nyt&oref=slogin&oref=slogin) Nicmart (talk) 17:41, 28 April 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  High cost due to cartelization 

message: Copied this to Talk:Endodontic_therapy#Controversies_from_Meinig.27s_.22Root_Canal_Cover-Up.22_and_a_historical_review.
I noticed George Meinig's Root Canal Cover Up (see summary) on Amazon. Haven't read the book, but did some research and found a 2000 California Dental Association article which has a good review of the "focal infection theory" (root canals leak bacteria into the blood, causing chronic illness). So if this controversy ever gets big, the 2000 CDA is an excellent resource - although it doesn't reference the book specifically, it is about the same "focal infection theory". Shankland seems to be a modern advocate of the theory who has published in peer-reviewed journals (see his summary).
The CDA article actually disputes the validity of the "Focal Infection Theory".  That is to say, teeth treated with root canals do not cause disease.  The article does admit that there is a connection between the following: untreated infections may cause or increase the risk of certain systemic diseases.  Specifically, the bacterial that cause periodontal (gum) disease have been found in the plaque coasted arteries in coronary disease.
This is the Abstract:
"This paper discusses the past, present, and future of the focal infection theory of disease. A focal infection is a localized or general infection caused by the dissemination of microorganisms or toxic products from a focus of infection. The resurgence of the focal infection theory of disease has been greeted with great enthusiasm in some quarters; however, the present evidence for the relationship of oral microorganisms and systemic disease is very limited due not only to a dearth of prospective studies and a complete lack of interventional studies but also to very significant methodological difficulties associated with the clinical studies that have been performed."
Some more searching turned up Microbiology of endodontics and asepsis in endodontic practice, an excellent article which references Meinig specifically. I will look into incorporating into the article. II | (t - c) 05:57, 27 November 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Controversies from Meinig's "Root Canal Cover-Up" and a historical review 

message: If this article is about the root canal and not the root canal procedure, then the main illustration probably shouldn't be of the root canal procedure.  It is misleading.  It makes you think you are in the right place when you are not. Xuehxolotl (talk) 01:18, 7 February 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Choice of illustration 

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thread_title:  External links modified 

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thread_title:  Move discussion in progress