It has been documented that periodontopathic bacteria are also implicated in endodontic infections. 16S rDNA gene-directed PCR was to examine the prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria including Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Prevotella intermedia (Pi), Prevotella nigrescens (Pn), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Porphyromonas endodontalis (Pe), and Treponema denticola (Td) in the root canals of 36 endodontically infected teeth having apical lesions with or without clinical symptoms like pain, swelling, and fistula.

In 36 infected root canals, most frequently detected bacterial species was Pg (61.1%), followed by Td (52.8%) and Pe (38.9%).

High prevalence of BPB in the symptomatic teeth but low in the asymptomatic teeth suggests that BPB may play an important role in the pathogenesis of periapical lesions.

This study is to investigate the canal system in the mesiobuccal root of the maxillry first molar.

61 maxillary first molars were randomly selected. Serial transverse sections were made perpendicular to the long axis of the mesiobuccal root. Each section was placed in 3% sodium hypochlorite for 24 hours and rinsed in water and dried. The resected surface was stained with 2% methylene blue dye and examined with stereomicroscope.

Canal configuration analysis showed that 36.1% of the specimen classified as type I, 16.4% as type II, 37.7% as type III and 9.8% as type IV.

63.9% of the mesiobuccal root of maxillary first molar had two canaland 76.5% of sections with two canals in 5 MM had an isthmus. Because of this complexity the clinician should always search for extra canal carefullyand root canal system, including an isthmus, should be cleaned and shaped completelyand obturated three dimensionally for successful endodontic treatment.

The purpose of this study is to identificate root canal system including ideal access placement, root curvature, canal configuration, incidence of isthmus in mandibular incisors for success of endodontic treatment.

200 mandibular incisors were selected. The ideal access placement was determimed as follows. The teeth were radiographed from mesiodistal and buccolingual views using intraoral dental film. The image was divided into coronal, middle and apical third using the proximal film. Straight line access was determined by measuring the faciolingual canal width and placing points at midway point between the buccal and lingual wall at the junction of the middle and apical third and at the juntion of coronal and middle third of the root canal. A line was drawn connecting these two points extending through the crown of the tooth. The point at which the line crossed the external crown surface was recorded as facial, incisal, lingual. Degree of root curvature was determined by Schneider Protractor Method. Both section method and clearing method were used in this study. By section method, 100 mandibular incisors were embedded in clear resin and transeverse serial sectioned at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0mm level from root apex. The resected surfaces were stained by methylene blue and examined under ×40 magnification with a stereomicroscope. By clearing method, 100 mandibular incisors were cleared in methysalicylate after decalcification with 10% nitric acid and evaluated under ×18 magnification with a stereomicroscope.

The results were as follows ;

1. 29% had the center of the plotted straight-line access facial to incisal edge, whereas 71% had straight-line access at the incisal edge. When incisal wear classified as extensive, the straight-line access was plotted on the incisal edge 95.5%. When incisal wear classified as slight/none, the straight-line access was plotted on the facial 65.9%.

2. Degree of curvature of main canal was straight or almost straight, and only 10% in buccolingual direction had a degree of curvature greater than 20 degrees and 5.5% in mesiodistal direction had.

3. In section method, canal configuration analysis showed that 51% of the specimen classified as type I, 27% as type II, 12% as type III, 10% as type IV. For thoses setions with two canals, the incidence of an isthmus was 26.7%, 64.3%, 79.2%, 96.3%, 97.4%, 97.6% at each level and highest in 3~5mm sections.

4. In clearing method, canal configuration analysis showed that 74% of the specimen classified as type I, 11% as type II, 6% as type III, 9% as type IV.

These results suggested that traditional access from lingual should be moved as far toward the incisal as possible to locate and debride the lingual canal and root canal system should be cleaned, shaped completely and obturated three dimensionally for successful endodontic treatment.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of customized master cone on apical sealing in various apical size of prepared root canals, that is MAF(Master Apical File) and to know at which apical size the apical leakage is to be significantly reduced using customized master cone.

120 extracted single rooted premolars were divided into four groups according to their apical size(MAF), #30, 40, 50 and 60. And then, each group was subdivided into three in accordance with three obturation methods, lateral condensation with standardized master cone, lateral condensation with chloroform-dipped customized master cone, and continuous wave of obturation technique.

Resorcinol-formaldehyde resin was used for the microleakage test of this study. Teeth were sectioned horizontally at 1.5mm(Level 1), 2.5mm(Level 2), and 3.5mm(Level 3) from the anatomical root apex using low speed microtome. All sections were examined under ×40 magnification with a stereomicroscope, photographed, and then scanned. With the scanned images, resin-infiltrated area presenting the microleakage was calculated using SigmaScan/Image, and the ratio of leakage to the total root canal area of each group was analyzed statistically(one way ANOVA).

The results were as follows;

1. In groups of MAF #30, there was no significant difference of mean leakage ratio among three obturation methods at all three levels.

2. In groups of MAF #40, the group using lateral condensation with customized master cone had the lowest mean leakage ratio at all three levels, but there was no significant difference among three obturation techniques.

3. In groups of MAF #50, the mean leakage ratio of the group using lateral condensation with standard master cone was the highest among those of three obturation techniques at level 1, and this difference was statistically significant(p<0.05).

4. In groups of MAF #60, the groups using lateral condensation with standard master cone had also the highest mean leakage ratio at all levels, but there was no significant difference at level 1 and 2. At level 3, the leakage of the group using lateral condensation with standard master cone was significantly higher than that of the group using continuous wave of obturation(p<0.05).

The results of this study suggested that the obturation method using customized master cone or the continuous wave of obturation is more effective for apical sealing than that using standardized master cone when MAF is larger than #50.