Adham A. Azim, B.D.S. The goal of endodontics is to prevent and treat apical periodontitis. Inconsistent treatment outcomes have been reported for different endodontic procedures, especially in cases with persistent endodontic infection. Treatment decisions in such cases may often be a dilemma. Recommendations to the patients may vary from follow-up for longer periods, intervention through surgical or nonsurgical approaches, or even tooth extraction and selection of a potentially more successful treatment option such as dental implants. Clinicians must understand the prognostic factors that can influence the outcome of an endodontic treatment and the time required for endodontic lesions to heal. It is also essential to realize the long-term outcomes of implant dentistry in the hands of specialists and general dentists. All these factors must be well understood to select the optimal treatment decision for each case.

Stephen P. Niemczyk, D.M.D. Since its introduction in the late 1970s, the endosseous root form implant has undergone many refinements and innovations. It has evolved to the point where they are, in many instances, the preferred solution for the treatment of a nonsalvageable natural tooth. While this therapy may be commonplace in dentistry, it is not common practice within the specialty of endodontics. The reasons for this vary from personal preferences and a perceived lack of expertise, to ill-defined professional “boundaries” of practice and lack of peer support. This presentation will propose an outline as a guide for the attendee interested in introducing this armamentarium to their surgical practice. While it is not meant to substitute for a more formal exploration of the science and technique of implant selection and placement, it will highlight the key elements for successful incorporation. In many instances, these points are reinforced via multimedia illustrations.

Speaker: Christopher Wenckus, D.D.S. If you are assembling your ABE Case History Portfolio, or even thinking of submitting for the ABE Case History examination, you should listen to this presentation. It is suitable for all levels of Board Status, Educationally Qualified, Board Eligible, Prospective Board Candidate and especially for post-graduate students.

Speaker: Huan Su, D.D.S., M.S. Treatment planning is a critical yet inexact aspect of clinical dentistry. On an everyday basis clinicians are faced with the dilemma of maintaining a compromised tooth (or teeth) versus extraction and replacement with an implant-supported prosthesis.

Speaker: Mahmoud Torabinejad, D.M.D., M.S.D., Ph.D. Identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are the key elements for determination of current status. In this lecture the presenter will discuss strengths and weaknesses of endodontics, threats against endodontics, and opportunities for endodontics.

Speakers: Louis H. Berman, D.D.S., FACD, Keith V. Krell, D.D.S., M.S., M.A. When a crack is suspected, determining whether or not to do endodontic treatment – or to consider extraction – may be a difficult treatment dilemma. Drs. Berman and Krell will systematically review the many variables that should be taken into consideration before the bur ever hits the tooth.

Speakers: Gary B. Carr, D.D.S., Shimon Friedman, D.M.D., Dipl.Endodontics(Israel).The recent emphasis on evidence-based endodontics and reports on the favorable outcomes of implants have focused attention on long-term outcomes of endodontic treatment. Accurate outcomes assessment is important for communication with patients to inform treatment decisions by frankly measuring benefits and risks, but also for validation of the theoretical foundation of endodontics, for guiding research efforts and for supporting the economic viability of practices and, perhaps, our specialty in general.

SP-21: Speaker: Mario F. Leon, D.D.S. A newly designed rotary file is available (XP Endo) for which the manufacturer states that, based on the shape memory principles of NiTi alloy and its capacity to expand, the new tridimensional instrumentation system is able to treat root canals with highly complex morphologies. The instrument has more contact area with the benefit of keeping the original shape of the root canal. SP-33: Speaker: Andrei Berdichewsky, D.D.S. Finding all canals on the root canal system is a key factor for the outcome of the endodontic treatment. In this presentation, different techniques and clinical tips to help clinicians to find difficult and calcified canals while preserving dentin structure will be discussed in detail.

Syngcuk Kim, D.D.S., Ph.D. Are endodontically treated teeth really less predictable than a dental implant-supported restoration? Are they really more likely to fail? Do they really have a poor prognosis? With the significant advancement of endodontic procedures in the last decade, the answers are not what implantologists have believed. Do implants really have fewer complications? When is the prognosis of the tooth unfavorable, and at what point is extraction and an implant the best option? We should question our treatment choices more critically, suggest useful answers to many of the questions, provide ourselves with objective criteria on which to base our judgments and, finally, offer solutions so that we can make better choices for the treatment of our patients. In this presentation, outcomes of both endodontic treatment and implants will be evaluated to provide some answers to the above critical questions.

SP-1: Speaker: Carlos Aznar Portoles, D.D.S., M.Sc. The success rate of endodontic surgical retreatment has shown to be above 90% when modern techniques are used. This presentation will focus on the surgical management of teeth that had previously been unsuccessfully surgically retreated. SP-2: Speaker: Bruce Y. Cha, DMD. In posterior maxilla, the sinus and posterior teeth are often intimately located and their mutual health intricately related. Clinicians should be aware of this interdependence when diagnosing and treating diseases in this region. SP-3: Speaker: Rachele Luciano, DMD. Post-operative pain can, in some cases, persist several months after endodontic therapy despite seemingly adequate treatment. When endodontic pathology has been ruled out, we must start thinking outside the box.