Precision in Traditional Endodontic Access: An Educational Perspective on Student Performance and Error Patterns

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the accuracy of traditional endodontic accesses performed in a pre-clinical Endodontics laboratory by fifth-semester dental students. METHODS: The analysis was divided into two parts: (A) through radiographic and photographic images obtained in a standardized manner, the quality of traditional endodontic accesses and the prevalence of errors were determined through a questionnaire completed by two calibrated and independent evaluators, and; (B) to assess the worn area, the radiographic images underwent computational analysis of the root canal area before and after access in the CTAn software (version 1.16.1). The data were analysed descriptively and inferentially, using Jamovi software (version 2.4.11). RESULTS: From a sample of 123 teeth, only 31.7% of traditional endodontic accesses were error-free, that is, they were considered ideal. The most common errors identified were internal (81.0%) and external (47.6%) overextension, failure to remove the chamber roof (19.0%), in addition to internal (11.9%) and external (13.1%) underextension. Less frequently observed were failure to identify the canals (9.5%), supracrestal perforation (1.2%), and gouging and thinning (8.3%). Regarding wear, multi-rooted teeth, specifically molars, presented a higher average of tooth wear after traditional endodontic accesses (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the need to improve preclinical training of dental students in the execution of traditional endodontic accesses, because even though the evaluation of errors was extremely rigorous, the considerable rate of accesses with some type of imperfection highlights the importance of curricular revisions and more effective teaching methodologies.