Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics

The Korean Academy of Conservative Dentistry (대한치과보존학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Prevalence of referral reasons and clinical symptoms for endodontic referrals

  • Kim, Seonah (Department of Dentistry, Lin Women's Hospital)
  • Received : 2014.02.24
  • Accepted : 2014.05.13
  • Published : 2014.08.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of different primary reasons for endodontic referrals and the clinical symptoms of the referred cases. Materials and Methods: Clinical data of total endodontic treatment cases (1,014 teeth) including endodontic referral cases (224 teeth) between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012, at Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, were investigated retrospectively. The one major reason for referral, the clinical symptoms, and the resulting treatment procedures of referral cases were recorded. The percentages of clinical symptoms of the endodontic referral cases and the total endodontic treatment cases were compared by ${\chi}^2$ test for each symptom. Results: Persistent pain was the most frequent reason for endodontic referral (29.5%), followed by presence of gingival swelling and sinus tract (24.1%), and apical radiolucency (12.9%). Referrals in cases involving endodontic difficulties such as canal calcification, broken instruments, post, perforation, and resorption were less than 5.0%, respectively. The percentages of four major clinical symptoms of pain, apical radiolucency, previous endodontic treatment, and gingival swelling and sinus tract were significantly higher in the endodontic referral cases than those in the total endodontic cases (p = 0.001). Among the included referral cases, 72.8% were treated with nonsurgical endodontic treatment only. Teeth other than the referred teeth were diagnosed as the origin of the problem in 5.8% of the referrals. Conclusions: The high prevalence of pain, apical radiolucency, previous treatment, and gingival swelling and sinus tract in endodontic referral cases suggest that these symptoms may be what general practitioners consider to be difficult and refer to endodontists.

Keywords

References

  1. Abbott JA, Wolcott JF, Gordon G, Terlap HT. Survey of general dentists to identify characteristics associated with increased referrals to endodontists. J Endod 2011; 37:1191-1196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2011.06.029
  2. Barnes JJ, Patel S, Mannocci F. Why do general dental practitioners refer to a specific specialist endodontist in practice? Int Endod J 2011;44:21-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2591.2010.01791.x
  3. Ree MH, Timmerman MF, Wesselink PR. Factors influencing referral for specialist endodontic treatment amongst a group of Dutch general practitioners. Int Endod J 2003;36:129-134. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2591.2003.00641.x
  4. Messer HH. Clinical judgement and decision making in endodontics. Aust Endod J 1999;25:124-132. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-4477.1999.tb00119.x
  5. Pothukuchi K. Case assessment and treatment planning: what governs your decision to treat, refer or replace a tooth that potentially requires endodontic treatment? Aust Endod J 2006;32:79-84. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-4477.2006.00010.x
  6. Abbott PV. Analysis of a referral-based endodontic practice: Part 1. Demographic data and reasons for referral. J Endod 1994;20:93-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0099-2399(06)81190-8
  7. Toure B, Faye B, Kane AW, Lo CM, Niang B, Boucher Y. Analysis of reasons for extraction of endodontically treated teeth: a prospective study. J Endod 2011;37: 1512-1515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2011.07.002
  8. Tzimpoulas NE, Alisafis MG, Tzanetakis GN, Kontakiotis EG. A prospective study of the extraction and retention incidence of endodontically treated teeth with uncertain prognosis after endodontic referral. J Endod 2012;38:1326-1329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2012.06.032
  9. Chrysanthakopoulos NA. Reasons for extraction of permanent teeth in Greece: a five-year follow-up study. Int dent J 2011;61:19-24. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1875-595X.2011.00004.x
  10. American Association of Endodontists. AAE Endodontic case difficulty assessment form and guidelines. Available from: http://www.aae.org/uploadedfiles/dental_professionals/endodontic_case_assessment/2006casedifficultyassessmentformb_edited2010.pdf (updated 2013 Oct 31)
  11. Hommez GM, De Moor RJ, Braem M. Endodontic treatment performed by Flemish dentists. Part 2. Canal filling and decision making for referrals and treatment of apical periodontitis. Int Endod J 2003;36:344-351. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2591.2003.00655.x
  12. Tsesis I, Rosenberg E, Faivishevsky V, Kfir A, Katz M, Rosen E. Prevalence and associated periodontal status of teeth with root perforation: a retrospective study of 2,002 patients' medical records. J Endod 2010;36:797-800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2010.02.012
  13. Tzanetakis GN, Kontakiotis EG, Maurikou DV, Marzelou MP. Prevalence and management of instrument fracture in the postgraduate endodontic program at the Dental School of Athens: a five-year retrospective clinical study. J Endod 2008;34:675-678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2008.02.039
  14. Doornbusch H, Broersma L, Boering G, Wesselink PR. Radiographic evaluation of cases referred for surgical endodontics. Int Endod J 2002;35:472-477. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2591.2002.00510.x
  15. Harty FJ. A survey of endodontic procedures performed by practitioners in limited practice. Int Endod J 1992; 25:25-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2591.1992.tb00945.x

Cited by

  1. Characteristics of teeth referred to a public dental specialist clinic in endodontics vol.50, pp.7, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.12671
  2. 근관치료적 이유로 치과대학병원으로 의뢰된 치아들의 특성 vol.35, pp.3, 2014, https://doi.org/10.14368/jdras.2019.35.3.143