Radiographic features and outcome of root canal treatment carried out in the Łódź region of Poland

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the radiographic features and factors affecting the long-term results of root canal treatment in the Lódź region of Poland. METHODOLOGY: Three hundred and fifty-five periapical radiographs of previously endodontically treated teeth (282 root-filled teeth and 73 teeth with pulpotomy) from 236 patients were evaluated in the study. The patients were aged from 15 to 76 years and randomly selected amongst subjects referred to the Institute of Dentistry. Medical University of Lódź and two private dental practices. The radiographs were examined by the authors according to criteria proposed by De Cleen et al. (1993) using an illuminated viewbox in a dark room. The Fisher's exact test was used to compare the frequencies in teeth groups. RESULTS: Amongst root-filled teeth, 49% were adequately filled within 0-2 mm of the radiographic apex. Periapical radiolucencies were observed in 25% of root-filled teeth. Teeth without periapical pathosis were more often filled within 0-2 mm of the apex (59%) than teeth with pathosis (17%). Teeth were most often adequately filled (64%) in patients attending the Institute of Dentistry. In patients attending the dental outpatients' departments, 71% of teeth were inadequately filled. Amongst the teeth treated with pulpotomy, 67% had a periapical radiolucency. CONCLUSION: The radiographic technical quality of the root canal treatment was associated with the outcome that root fillings of adequate standard were associated with health more often than inadequate root fillings. Pulpotomy was associated with periapical disease in the majority of cases.