root canals

Today had our first foray into the world of endodontia.  (Doesn't that sound like the name for a ride at Disneyworld?  Hey kids, come explore world of endodontia, where you can learn all about how we care for injured pulp!)

In other words, I did my first root canal.  We first worked on a plastic tooth that was clear so you could actually see what you were doing.  That wasn't so bad.  We got to use some cool new instruments with awesome names like "system B" or "the obturator".  Then we moved on to a real tooth placed in our endodontic typodont.  You can't see a thing and must go completely by touch.  It was crazy difficult and a real frustrating process.  I made my access opening, but could not find the canal.  Then my instructor came over and tried forever to find the canal.  After finally drilling away half of the tooth, we found the canal and took an x-ray.  That took about 2 hours.  I don't have the patience for that.  I forsee myself becoming a dentist that refers out all endo cases.  Unless I have some a drastic change of heart in the next 2 1/2 years, you can count me out of becoming an endodontist.

Here is my x-ray with the endo file in it.  Clearly, you can see that I am 0.5mm from the apex of the tooth, which has a working length of 20 mm.  That was about the only thing that went right today.  Next step?  Clean the canal and pump it full of gutta percha.