Title : Working length and the last third generation of apex locators
Abstract:
The success of endodontic treatment is dependent on the complete elimination of the contents of the root canal system and the sealing of all the pathways that communicate between the endodontium and the periodontium. In other words, the final result of the endodontic treatment must be the same as that which would have been obtained by the extraction of a compromised tooth. So, it is obvious that the knowledge of the endodontic anatomy with all its possible variations and the correct determination of the working length are extremely important, so that during the course of the treatment not even the smallest portions of the canal system are forgotten. The methods currently available to the clinician for measuring the correct working length are numerous and today we have the latest generation of apex locators to work at the “Electronic Apex”. The 3rd generation of Apex Locators is extremely precise, it is not influenced by the content of the root canal and it has been specifically designed not to locate the “constriction” or the “contact” with the periodontal ligament, but the “foramen”, since it is based on the thickness of the surrounding dentin.
