Analysis of Tooth Access Opening by Students Who Have Completed a Course in Endodontic Practice (Part 1. Molars)

Abstract

Our dental university has allocated time for endodontic practice to 4^th-grade students who have completed a 3^rd-grade course in endodontics. In this term, students to practice access opening of extracted upper and lower human molars. All the teeth are donated by students themselves, and the effectiveness of this approach for teaching has been analyzed. Students found 3 root canal orifices in 82.1% of upper molars with 3 root canal orifices, and 3 root canal orifices in 87.5% of lower molars with 3 root canal orifices and 2 root canal orifices in 87.1% of lower molars with 2 root canal orifices. No appreciable difference in ease of access opening was observed between upper and lower molars. Perforation occurred about 20% more frequently in upper than in lower molars. Knowledge of tooth anatomy is essential for students studying endodontic practice. Future efforts should be directed at improving endodontic education to ensure that failure does not occur in practice.