Journal of
Dentistry and Oral Hygiene

  • Abbreviation: J. Dent. Oral Hyg.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2472
  • DOI: 10.5897/JDOH
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 137

Full Length Research Paper

Quality of root canal filling performed by undergraduate students in a Saudi Dental College

Ammar AbuMostafa*
  • Ammar AbuMostafa*
  • Department of Restorative Dentistry, Riyadh Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy, P.O Box 84891 Riyadh 11681, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Google Scholar
Ibrahim Ali Ahmad
  • Ibrahim Ali Ahmad
  • Department of Restorative Dentistry, Riyadh Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy, P.O Box 84891 Riyadh 11681, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Google Scholar
Ghazi Alenezy
  • Ghazi Alenezy
  • Department of Restorative Dentistry, Riyadh Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy, P.O Box 84891 Riyadh 11681, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Google Scholar
Ahmed AlZoman
  • Ahmed AlZoman
  • Department of Restorative Dentistry, Riyadh Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy, P.O Box 84891 Riyadh 11681, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Google Scholar


  •  Received: 06 April 2015
  •  Accepted: 14 April 2015
  •  Published: 31 May 2015

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of teaching endodontics to undergraduate students at Riyadh Colleges. This study was undertaken by assessing the technical quality of root canal obturation and the presence of procedural errors in root canal treatment cases performed by the final year dental students in clinics. All of the root canal treatment cases performed by the final year dental students in the 2nd semester of 2012 to 2013 were examined, with a total of 450 root canals from 241 teeth. The quality of root canal obturation was examined in relation to the length of the root filling based on the radiographic apex, the density of the obturation according to the presence of voids, and the taper of root canal fillings. The overall acceptable quality of the evaluated root canals was 36%. Of these canals, acceptable length, density, and taper were reported in 76.6, 46.4, and 73.8%, respectively. Overall, 9.3% of the treated root canals had procedural errors, and majority of these errors were found in canals of posterior mandibular teeth. Apical transportation was the most encountered error; it was found in 3.1% of the treated canals. The technical quality of the root canal treatments conducted by the students in this study was comparable to other studies. However, introducing new techniques and armamentaria might improve this quality.

 

Key words: Technical quality of obturation, undergraduate education, evaluation, education development.