Failures show us the way to success.

It’s been a long Decade

Without you my friend...

…when I 'C' you again.

A tale of 2 C-shaped canal molars.

2010 - I am an associate dentist and finally I am given my first case for 'RC' at the clinic.

It was a 'Mass Practice' so there was neither time nor financial feasibility for pre-op IOPAs. I started excavating the caries and landed in the pulp chamber. When I inserted the file I gasped. It stood upright in the center and my first thought was 'PERFORATION'. I quietly went to the Dr. and told him. Though his face was covered, I knew the expression. He took over and extended the access cavity in all directions and found nothing. Finally he took an IOPA and there it was...single rooted #18 with C shaped canal. I worked there 2 more months but he didn't trust me with another Endo case.

2020 - 53 year old patient walks in during the pandemic lockdown with severe pain. I took a pre-op and thought there were closely located 3 canals. But, after accessing the chamber I could find only 1 canal. Not wanting to miss a canal, I placed intra-canal Ca-OH to trace the outline and canals and I gasped again. I knew my endodontic files with uniform taper and circular cross section were not enough for this canal with uneven taper and uneven cross section.

I contacted senior micro-endodontist @Dr. Madhu Matthews sir and he guided me through the cleaning and shaping. Though he suggested warm vertical condensation for obturation, I had no choice but to go with lateral condensation and then pack as much as I could with a warm instrument. I placed the core restoration also in the same appointment to avoid multiple visits considering his age and the pandemic. Now waiting for him to come back for the crown.