Relationship between endodontic reduction and fracture prevention

Background: Endodontic reduction, commonly referred to as root canal treatment, is a procedure which includes the removal of diseased as well as infected pulp in the inner part of the tooth. This procedure can be utilized to gain entry to and sanitize the system of root canals. Aim: The present study aims to elucidate the significance of endodontic reduction in safeguarding the tooth from fracture and restoring its functionality. Patients and Methods: The study comprised a total of 65 individuals who had pulpectomy using both general as well as local anesthesia. All patients in this group were below the age of twenty-five years. The study gathered medical outcomes from dental clinics at several hospitals in Iraq between July 2022 and October 2023. The survival rate was determined by Kaplan-Meier survival curves. In addition, the rates of success and failure for pulpectomy results on patients' teeth were documented. A pulpectomy was deemed unsuccessful if the tooth continued to experience pain or if it needed to be extracted, indicating a failure in the treatment of the pulp. Moreover, all patients obtained clinical and radiographic evaluations using the Ellis classification system, that assessed the degree of tooth damage and indicated the seriousness of fractures. Results: Sixty-five patients were enrolled in this study. During the one-year follow-up, our results showed that the incidence of pulpotomy in patients aged 11-15 years was 24.62%, with 44 males and 21 females. Regarding the results of pulpotomy, the incidence of pulpotomy under general anaesthesia was 21 cases, and under local anaesthesia was 44 cases. The treatment success rate was 61 cases, and the failure rate was 4 cases. The incidence of patients without toothache was 93.85%. Regarding the classification of the degree of damage to the tooth structure, fractures were classified into three categories according to the Ellis classification system. The incidence of patients with no fractures was 95.38%, while the incidence of patients with Ellis class I fractures was 3.08%, Ellis class II fractures was 1.54%, and Ellis class III fractures was 0%. Conclusion: A pulpectomy represents an effective and crucial option for endodontic treatment, as it serves to prevent a considerable number of damages to the tooth that could otherwise result in fracture. In addition to this, it plays a role in safeguarding overall tooth health while also facilitating the restoration of tooth strength and integrity.