Root Canal Retreatment and Intracoronal Bleaching in Maxillary Anterior Tooth: Eight-Year Follow-Up Case Report

Chulamanee Sookprome

Authors

Chulamanee Sookprome Rajavithi Hospital

Keywords:

Root canal retreatment, Thermo-plasticized gutta-percha injection technique, Intracoronal bleaching

Abstract

Signs and symptoms of root canal treatment failure include pain, discomfort, discoloration, swelling or sinus formation in the surrounding soft tissue. Causes of failure are related to the quality and completeness of the initial root canal treatment, including inadequate cleaning, shaping and obturation of the root canal system. Discoloration in anterior region teeth can cause considerable cosmetic problems. Not only crown or veneer options for whitening discoloration problem, but also intracoronal bleaching. This method preserves tooth structure more than crown and veneer. Intracoronal bleaching technique is a valuable, minimally invasive procedure and effective esthetic treatment that provides predictable and satisfactory results. This case report presents a discolored and infected maxillary central incisor that had been previously treated with root canal therapy. The treatment plan included nonsurgical root canal retreatment, complete root canal filling by using lateral condensation technique and thermo-plasticized gutta-percha injection technique, followed by intracoronal bleaching to improve the appearance of discolored tooth. Although some studies have reported color relapses within two years following intracoronal bleaching, this case demonstrated successful apical healing, stable and esthetically acceptable tooth appearance over long-term follow-up period.

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