Queen's University Belfast

Academic Institute

Ikhlas El Karim

E035

Root canal treatment involves removal of dental pulp tissue in a compromised tooth. Whilst the treatment is generally successful, it is destructive, expensive, time-consuming and technically challenging. Root canal treatment accounts for a significant spend of NHS resource each year yet there is limited local evidence about long term survival of these teeth and factors which may influence that survival. This project seeks to add to the evidence base about success rates of molar root canal treatment within General Practice and identify factors that may influence that success rate in General Dental Practices across Northern Ireland. Aim: This project is a retrospective study evaluating the survival of molar root canal treatments which have been root completed in General Dental Practices across Northern Ireland. Objectives: • Determine the 10 year survival rate of molar teeth root treated within General Dental Practices across Northern Ireland • Determine the factors that may influence that survival including: 1. Patients related factors (patient’s age and gender, frequency of attendance, overall dental treatment need, paying status 2. Tooth related factors (tooth position, final restoration type at time of root canal treatment completion, future tooth functionality post root treatment including use as denture of bridge abutment) 3. Dentist related factors (gender, year joining the GDS list, status of General Dental Practitioner (Principal, Assistant, Foundation dentist) Approach Data on root treated molar teeth in period from 2004-2014 Define survival “as tooth present” till end of the ten-year period with no need for further interventions such as re-root canal treatment, apical surgery or extraction.

With the evidence relating to patient factors, Burke et al, 2005 and Lumley et al, 2008, reporting on the impact of patient factors on survival rates for teeth root treated in General Practice, there is an opportunity to evaluate the suitability of cases typically treated with root canal treatment and potentially make changes to the prescribing patterns of dentists within Northern Ireland. Lazarski et al, 2001, demonstrated a negative relationship between ageing and tooth retention . With an ageing population within Northern Ireland, the relationship between the success of root canal treatment and patient age could lead to prescribing changes to ensure an effective and equitable use of resources represents value for money across Northern Ireland dental services. Detailed analysis of survival rates of treatment will allow for an accurate assessment of the health economics of root canal treatment within General Practice. Are there cases which should be managed in a way other than root canal treatment and are there cases that should be managed outside of General Practice to achieve better, more cost-effective outcomes? With the development of a new contract for Northern Ireland, the project has the potential to feed into the system of improving outcomes for patients without increasing costs associated

09/11/2018

TRE