A new atraumatic method of removing fractured palatal root using endodontic H-files luted with resin modified glass ionomercement: A pilot study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of using endodontic H-files luted with Resin modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) in removing fractured palatal root. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study consists of 30 patients, of which 16 were males and 14 were females with a mean age of 36 years. In which, 19 were maxillary first molar and 11 were maxillary second molar. In that, 18 were fractured at the level of apical 1/3(rd) and 12 were at the level of apical 2/3(rd). All cases were first tried with endodontic H-files, within few attempts, it was wedged tightly in the remaining pulp chamber with one or two clockwise direction and using sudden jerk with a downward pull the remnant part was removed. The cases, which fail to deliver after several attempts were taken up for study. After sufficient isolation with a rubber dam and the socket was dried using sterile gauze, under good lighting and vision again the same file was introduced, which was now luted with RMGIC, after 5 min of setting time, the same attempt using sudden jerk with a downward pull was given. RESULTS: In those 30 cases, 20 cases were removed in the first few attempts using endodontic H-files. The 10 cases (7 cases were apical 2/3(rd) and 3 cases were of apical 1/3(rd)), which fails to come out were tried using endodontic H-files luted with RMGIC, in which 9 cases were successfully removed (90%) and 1 case of apical 1/3(rd) was again failed to come out. CONCLUSION: Even though, the number of cases were too small to come to a definitive conclusion, the encouraging result (90%) and technically easy, this is a novel method of removing fractured palatal root atraumatically and devoid of any complication.