Radiographic Technical Quality of Root Canal Fillings Performed by House Surgeons in the Islamic International Dental College: a Pilot Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical quality of root canal treatment carried out by house surgeons at a dental teaching hospital in Islamabad. Radiographic records of the 64 root canal treated teeth of patients were analyzed to find the adequacy of treatment they received. The final sample consisted of 60 teeth. Root treatment was considered adequate if the apical length of obturation was 0-2mm from the radiographic apex and no voids were discernable on the radiograph. 27(45%) out of 60 teeth could be classified as being adequate. 35(58.3%) were obturated to the correct radiographic apical length (<2mm) and 44(73.3%) had an absence of voids on the radiograph. 5 teeth had broken instruments and this was significantly correlated with a canal curvature of more than 20° (p=0.01). No correlation was found for adequacy of treatment and tooth type or for adequacy of treatment and canal curvature. Adequate root treatment, as evaluated on the radiograph, was performed in only 45% of treated teeth.