Presenting Features and Factors Leading to Extraction of Root Canal Treated Teeth

Tooth pain is one of the most devastating symptoms manifested as a result of various dental pathologies. Root canal therapy and tooth extraction are the two most common procedures carried out for treatment of toothache. The aim of this study was to find out the most common causes of root canal treated teeth failure and its frequency in different age and gender population. Methodology: Sixty patients with root canal treated teeth who presented for extractions to the minor oral surgery were included in the present study. Names of the patients were replaced by their OPD numbers for the sake of privacy. The subjects were selected regardless from where they had received the treatment, properly examined and their histories recorded after taking written consent. Information was collected using a detailed questionnaire, and questions regarding symptoms/causes for extraction of root canal treated teeth were asked. The data so collected was analysed through SPSS version 26. Results: There were total 60 patients out of which 28 (46.67%) were female and 32 (53.33%) were male. These patients belonged to various age groups out of which 46-55 (26%) age group was the most prevalent followed by 15-25 (25%) and 36-45 (25%) age groups. Dent Res Oral Health 2021; 4(3): 059-065 DOI: 10.26502/droh.0042 Dental Research and Oral Health Vol. 4 No. 3 September 2021 60 Most of these patients were from poor socioeconomic background (66%), followed by satisfactory (23%) and good socioeconomic status (11%). The oral hygiene maintenance of these patients was such that 33 (55%) patients were maintaining oral hygiene. The most prevalent method of oral hygiene maintenance was found to be the tooth brushing, used by 42 (70%) patients. Brushing frequency was once a day for 23 (38%) patients and twice per day for 16 (26%) patients. Most of the patients 40 (61%) presented with pain in mandibular teeth as compared to maxillary (20 patients, 33%). The most common tooth involved in these patients was molar 36 (60%), followed by premolar in 13 (22%) patients. The RCT time elapsed varied from only days (1.7%) to years in 36 (60%) patients. Twenty patients (33%) had months elapsed since RCT while 3 (5%) had weeks elapsed. In 45 (75%) patients, RCT was followed by crowning while 15 (25%) didn’t get benefited by any prosthesis. Of these patients that did not get any crown for the treated tooth, 14 (23%) were aware that they had to get a crown while 32 (53%) were not. The factors that led these patients to extraction were many, pain being the chief factor in 17 (28%) patients. Conclusion: Pain was the most common cause in root canal treated teeth due to which patients presented for tooth extraction.