Volunteer Speakers

The incidence of dental trauma is higher in children and adolescents. The first clinical and radiographic examination of the traumatized patient is crucial to determine the diagnosis, severity and treatment plan, as well as to create a baseline for follow-up. Traumatic lesions include coronal and root fractures, subluxations, luxations and teeth avulsions. Common complications are pulp necrosis and root resorption. Treatment is complex, time consuming, expensive and requires multidisciplinary approaches, such as endodontic and periodontal treatments, surgery, orthodontic and esthetic coronal restoration. New approaches for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of traumatized teeth will be thoroughly discussed and illustrated.

Replacement resorption and ankylosis are frequently diagnosed following avulsion and severe intrusive luxation. The treatment of ankylosed permanent incisors following dental trauma presents a clinical challenge, particularly when it involves a growing child due to the high risk of infraposition and undevelopment of the alveolar bone. New approaches for the treatment of ankylosed teeth, including decoronation and bone augmentation for the preservation of alveolar ridge prior to permanent prosthetic reconstruction will be thoroughly discussed and illustrated.

Although successful elimination of bacteria from the root canal system remains the most important therapeutic goal, there is no consensus as to the most effective clinical approach. The literature related to single versus multiple visits differs in several important areas. This lecture will provide a comprehensive critical review of the literature and propose a clinical flow chart that takes into consideration the preoperative diagnosis, infection control procedures and their effect on the outcome of endodontic therapy.

The primary aim of endodontic therapy in both vital and necrotic teeth is the reduction in the number of bacteria and microbes in the root canal system that prevents healing of periradicular periodontitis. Although this criteria seems clear, there is little consensus on how to reach these goals. Despite the advances on mechanical shaping using newly developed NiTi rotary files, the outcome of endodontic therapy remained unchanged, mainly because the new files cannot reduce or eliminate the microbial contamination within the complex anatomy of root canal systems. New irrigant delivery systems have been recently developed to overcome these challenges. Indications, efficiency and predictability of these systems for root canal disinfection will be thoroughly analyzed and discussed.