Intracanal dressing employed in Brazilian dental schools

Abstract

This study assessed the intra- canal dressing (ICD) employed in Brazilian Dental Schools (BDS) be- fore different diagnoses and stages of the endodontic treatment. Ques- tionnaires were sent to all BDS. Antibiotic-corticosteroid and cal- cium hydroxide (CH) were widely employed in vital pulps (the first, after coronal opening, removal of all intracanal material and incom- plete chemo-mecanical preparation (CMP); the latter, after complete CMP. Formalin (F) and CH were employed after coronal opening and complete CMP, respectively, in pulpal necrosis without and with periapical lesion. F, CH and cam- phorated paramonochlorophenol were widely used in pulpal necrosis where only removal of all intraca- nal material and incomplete CMP were performed. Both the pulpal condition diagnosis and the endo- dontic treatment stage are major factors in selecting the ICD. Key words: root canal therapy, diagnosis, questionnaire, intraca- nal dressing.