Evaluation of the criteria used in endodontic treatment analysis performed by endodontic specialists in the city of Recife - (PE)

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the criteria used by endodontic specialists registered at CRO-PE, during follow-up procedures in endodontics treatments. The data were collected using a form applied to 38 professionals, performed by a single researcher. Among specia- lists who had an evaluation system, the majority used the telephone for contact and they also answered that a mean of33.54% of the patients return for evaluation. When questioned about clinical examination procedures, all of them mentioned they ask about some symptomatology and take radiographs. From those, 41,9% mentioned that locator cone is always used and 64,5% informed that, occasionally, use more than one radiographic exposure. In follow-ups which did not show success, conventional endodontic treatment was the most frequent management mentioned (93,5%). To evaluate treatment outcome, radiographs showing normal structures and no symptomatic tooth was the most frequent item, 93,5%and 90,3%, respectively. For 40%ofthe dentists, the ideal time to evaluate treatment success was 02 years. ln vital pulp, 54,8% mentioned that the period was of 06 months. In dead pulp without periapicallesion, the period was of 01 year (48,4%);for dead pulp with periapicallesion, the period was of 02 years (48,4%). It might be concluded that although the follow-uprepresents a very impor- tant procedure, it is not mentioned by the totality of the specialists, however, aspects as the sympto- matology and the use of radio- graphs are criteria always mentio- ned by those who had this system.