Dentistry – Method or material for testing – treating – restoring – or... – Endodontic
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-03
2003-09-30
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Method or material for testing, treating, restoring, or...
Endodontic
C433S228100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06626673
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a root canal filling material remover, which is used during removal of a root canal filling material from a root canal when the re-treatment of the root canal is carried out in the dental remedy.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
In the dental remedy, when the treatment for pulp disease or apical periodontitis is carried out, a materially stable substance is filled within a root canal after extirpation of a pulp to seal a space within the root canal and shield an infectious route between the root canal and a periodontal tissue, or between the root canal and an oral cavity, thereby the root canal remedy being done. In carrying out this treatment, a method that is most often employed at present is a method in which a thin needle-like root canal filling material containing a natural gutta-percha and zinc oxide as major components, that is called a gutta-percha point, is filled within a root canal after extirpation of a pulp, and a root canal aperture is then sealed with a cement or the like. This filling method of the root canal using a gutta-percha point is generally effected by a method in which a plurality of gutta-percha points are successively filled within the root canal, that is called a lateral condensation method. At this time, though it is necessary to fill minutely the gutta-percha points within the root canal, the gutta-percha points do not have thorough adhesion to a root canal wall. Accordingly, there is employed a method in which a material that is called a sealer composition for root canal filling is applied to the gutta-percha points and then filled within the root canal to invest a space between the root canal wall and the gutta-percha point, thereby enhancing sealability. One that is widely used as the sealer composition for root canal filling at present is a material containing zinc oxide and eugenol as major components. In addition to the zinc oxide eugenol-based sealer compositions for root canal filling, employed are also natural resin-made sealer compositions for root canal filling containing a low-viscosity polyisoprene or a natural gutta-percha as a major component because they have high adhesion to the gutta-percha points.
Such root canal remedy is aimed at prevention and remedy of disease in the apical periodontal tissue, in which after extirpation of a pulp and infectious root canal treatment, the gutta-percha points are minutely filled and plugged within the root canal to shield a space between the root canal and the apical periodontal tissue from an oral cavity, thereby keeping the root canal in a sterilized state. However, in general, the root canal takes a complicated shape, and three or four root canals may be present per tooth depending on the kind of the tooth. Further, the shape includes various variations such as a flat shape, a barrel shape, and a curved shape, depending on the individual teeth. Accordingly, even when the remedy is carried out using a root canal filling material made of a gutta-percha point and a sealer for root canal filling as described above, it is difficult to prevent invasion of bacteria, resulting in possible occurrence of a toothache or a swelling of gingiva by infection. In such case, it becomes necessary to carry out again the root canal remedy. Then, it is necessary to carry out the root canal treatment such that the root canal filling material filled within the root canal, which is made of a gutta-percha point and a sealer for root canal filling, is removed carefully by a reamer and a file; if required, organic substances within the root canal, such as necrotized and putrefied substances, are cleaned up with a root canal cleaner such as sodium hypochlorite; and the gutta-percha point is again filled by means of the above-described lateral condensation method or other methods.
However, it is very difficult to remove a root canal filling material made of a gutta-percha point and a sealer for root canal filling, which has been filled even in the details of a complicated root canal, by using a reamer and a file. In particular, in the root canal in a flat shape or a curved shape, when the gutta-percha point remains in a root apex portion thereof, the infected portion cannot be thoroughly cleaned so that there is a high possibility that the infection is again spread, resulting in occurrence of a toothache or a swelling of gingiva. In such case, it is necessary to carry out a root canal enlargement operation using a reamer or a file, thereby removing the remaining root canal filling material. Further, the sealer composition for root canal filling is high in fluidity and has adhesion to the root canal, as compared with the gutta-percha point. Accordingly, when the sealer composition for root canal filling enters into a dentinal tubule, it is impossible to remove the sealer composition for root canal filling without enlargement of the root canal, and thus, it is necessary to scrape the sealer composition for root canal filling together with the root canal wall. However, in general, a phenomenon where the root canal filling material remains in the root apex portion is often found in the case where the root canal is in a complicated shape, and hence, it is difficult to visually confirm this phenomenon directly, so that it is very difficult to carry out the root canal enlargement operation. Further, since the amount of the root canal filling material remained in the root canal wall is very little, the root canal filling material is hardly subjected to contrast through X-rays, and an operator hardly understands the state of the root canal enlargement. Thus, the root canal enlargement is a technically difficult operation. In addition, the root canal enlargement involves evils such as lowering in the strength of the root canal, leading to an increase of a danger that the root canal is broken. Accordingly, it has been demanded that the root canal filling material remained within the root canal is removed without carrying out the root canal enlargement as far as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Under such circumstances, the invention is aimed to provide a root canal filling material remover, by which, after removing a root canal filling material from a root canal using a reamer or a file during the re-treatment of the root canal, the root canal filling material such as a gutta-percha point remained in a root apex portion or a sealer for root canal filling entered into and remained in a dentinal tubule of a root canal wall can be removed through a simple operation without carrying out an excessive root canal enlargement operation as in the conventional art.
In order to achieve the above-described aim, we, the present inventors made extensive and intensive investigations. As a result, it has been found that when a root canal filling material remover comprising a solution capable of dissolving or swelling and softening a resin component, such as a polyisoprene, as a major component of a gutta-percha point or a natural resin-made sealer for root canal filling material to be used in the root canal filling material and of dissolving eugenol zinc as a matrix forming a cured material of a zinc oxide eugenol-based sealer for root canal filling, having a surfactant compounded therein, is applied to a root canal from which the root canal filling material has been removed using a reamer or a file, the root canal filling material remained in the details of the root canal can be removed through dissolution or swelling and softening, without removal by root canal enlargement, and that preferred results are obtained by further adding a polishing material to the root canal filling material remover, leading to accomplishment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Specifically, the root canal filling material remover according to the present invention is a root canal filling material remover comprising at least one member selected from limonene, eucalyptus oil, chloroform and xylene, and a surfactant. Of these, limonene is preferred bec
Abiru Masao
Sato Kimihiko
Takeshita Takaharu
Bumgarner Melba
GC Corporation
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Shaver Kevin
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