EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF APEXIFICATION METHOD IN PEDIATRIC DENTAL PRACTICE WHEN TREATING APICAL PERIODONTITIS

Abstract

Apexification is the process of forming a calcified barrier (bridge) of osteocement in the root canal with necrotic pulp in permanent teeth with unformed roots. The result of apexification is closing the apex at the level where root formation was interrupted as a result of necrosis in the pulp and the germ zone of the root. The purpose of the present study was to carry out comparative assessment of the effectiveness of treating permanent teeth with unformed roots by apexification using calcium hydroxide or mineral trioxide aggregate based on the analysis of clinical cases of apical periodontitis. Materials and methods. The study involved 40 clinical cases of apical periodontitis: group I – treatment by apexification method with a long–term use of calcium hydroxide; group II – "rapid" insertion of a plug made of a mineral trioxide aggregate. Study results. According to the obtained calculations of the root length and the width of the apical opening before and after treatment, diagrams were constructed that reflect subsequent formation of the root, narrowing of the apical part of the root, which corresponds to the concept of apexification. All the data obtained were confirmed by the method of variational statistics with determining the median values. Conclusions. In the course of the work, a high efficiency of using this method was revealed and it was shown that, on average, in 1-1.5 years, there were optimal changes in the length of the root and width of the apical foramen, restoration of periapical tissues.