Topic

Regenerative Endodontic Therapies for Complex Pulpal and Periapical Healing.

Synopsis

This lecture will provide a comprehensive overview of regenerative endodontic procedures designed to revitalize immature permanent teeth with pulpal necrosis. Participants will learn the biological basis, clinical protocols, and practical considerations for dental pulp regeneration.

Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based decision-making to guide treatment selection among root canal obturation, regenerative endodontics, apexification, and apexogenesis, tailored to the tooth’s developmental stage, clinical condition, and patient criteria.

At the conclusion of this lecture, participants should be able to:

• Perform regenerative endodontic procedures.
• Determine the most appropriate treatment modality—root canal obturation, regenerative endodontics, apexification, or apexogenesis—using clinical and radiographic assessments of tooth maturity and pulpal status.
• Carry out all procedural steps of regenerative endodontic therapy, including case selection, disinfection, scaffold placement, post-operative monitoring, problem-solving, and evaluation of treatment outcomes.

Topic

The Apex Decision: Bioengineer It or Bioseal It? Clinical Strategies for Choosing Between Regeneration and Apical Plugs.

Synopsis

The presentation provides an easy-to-apply algorithm that incorporates age, root development stage, biological potential, disinfection complexity, long-term prognosis, and follow-up reliability to guide treatment selection with confidence. Dr. Gray will discuss when clinicians should pursue biologically based regenerative endodontic procedures versus when to select predictable bioceramic apical plug techniques.

The presentation explores the underlying biology of immature tooth development, the clinical requirements for successful regeneration, and the material science behind modern apical plug systems. Through evidence-based comparisons, case examples, and practical decision algorithms, participants will gain a clear understanding of how to balance biological potential, structural considerations, and patient factors. It will help clinicians use a practical, confident, and predictable approach to treating immature teeth with pulpal necrosis.

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:

• Understand the biological and clinical prerequisites for successful endodontic regeneration.
• Apply predictable, efficient techniques for creating bioceramic apical plugs.
• Master a clear decision-making framework for choosing regeneration versus apical plug therapy.

Topic

Pain Following Root Canal Treatment: Lessons Learned From Practice-Based Research.

Synopsis

When a patient calls reporting severe pain after treatment, or persistent pain, it can be disruptive to a practitioner’s schedule and psyche. This session will provide practitioners with information on the frequency and predictors of pain following root canal treatment. Practitioners will also learn about contributing factors and differential diagnosis for persistent pain. At the conclusion, participants should be able to • Know the frequency and contributing factors for acute pain following root canal treatment.

• Know the frequency and contributing factors for acute pain following root canal treatment.
• Provide a differential diagnosis for persistent endodontic pain.
• Assess different methods for pain control following root canal treatment.

Topic

Regenerative Endodontic Therapies for Complex Pulpal and Periapical Healing.

Synopsis

This lecture will provide a comprehensive overview of regenerative endodontic procedures designed to revitalize immature permanent teeth with pulpal necrosis. Participants will learn the biological basis, clinical protocols, and practical considerations for dental pulp regeneration.

Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based decision-making to guide treatment selection among root canal obturation, regenerative endodontics, apexification, and apexogenesis, tailored to the tooth’s developmental stage, clinical condition, and patient criteria.

At the conclusion of this lecture, participants should be able to:

• Perform regenerative endodontic procedures.
• Determine the most appropriate treatment modality—root canal obturation, regenerative endodontics, apexification, or apexogenesis—using clinical and radiographic assessments of tooth maturity and pulpal status.
• Carry out all procedural steps of regenerative endodontic therapy, including case selection, disinfection, scaffold placement, post-operative monitoring, problem-solving, and evaluation of treatment outcomes.

Topic

Artificial Intelligence in Endodontics: Strategies, Challenges, and Solutions.

Synopsis

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming diagnostic imaging, anatomy recognition, and treatment planning in endodontics. Clinical adoption and integration, however, require a clear understanding of its capabilities and limitations. This lecture examines how AI applications work and may aid the clinician, but also addresses key pitfalls such as dataset bias, inconsistent imaging protocols, overfitting, and overreliance on automated predictions, as well as current regulatory and validation challenges. Practical solutions are outlined, including human-in-the-loop systems, multi-institutional datasets, transparent model evaluation, and quality-assurance measures.

Participants will be able to discuss a current framework for adopting AI as a powerful, evidence-based adjunct to clinical expertise. At the conclusion, participants should be able to:

• Identify where AI can enhance diagnosis, anatomy assessment, and treatment planning.
• Recognize key limitations of AI and how they affect clinical reliability.
• Apply strategies for safe AI integration to support decision-making.

Topic

Eradicating Or Controlling Endodontic Infection: What Is The Attainable Goal?

Synopsis

Apical periodontitis is primarily caused by bacterial infection of the necrotic root canal system. In vital teeth, there is no infection in the root canal space; thus, the therapeutic approach in these cases differs from that in infected teeth.

Infection is often established as a biofilm lining the walls of the main canal lumen and can spread to distant areas of the canal system that are difficult to reach and may require specialized treatment strategies. If bacteria persist in the root canal after treatment, the risk of failure increases.

This presentation will cover the most relevant aspects of root canal infection, including the progression of necrosis and infection in the root canal space, as well as the diversity, location, morphology, and behavior of bacterial biofilms. The limitations in eradicating infection will also be revealed, including a discussion on the implications of residual infection. What happens when the bacterial load has been reduced, but the infection has not been completely eradicated? Does healing occur even with a reduced amount of bacteria surviving in the root canal system?

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:

• Establish the microbiological goals of endodontic treatment.
• Describe the clinical implications of bacterial persistence after treatment.
• Discuss the challenges to achieving proper root canal disinfection.

Topic

Periapical Microsurgery: Streamlined Apical Root Management.

Synopsis

Periradicular surgery has evolved into a precise, biologically based adjunct to nonsurgical root canal therapy. Modern microsurgical protocols have shown excellent success rates in clinical studies. Favorable outcomes of modern microsurgery are mainly due to the proper assessment and management of the root tip complex.

This presentation will cover the significant advancements made in the development of new instruments, materials, and techniques. It will focus on how to streamline apical root management to seal the apical root complex effectively.

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:

• Perform a proper root tip assessment and analysis, including the identification of dentinal defects.
• Visualize and manage the apical root complex predictably to obtain a proper apical seal.
• Explain how to achieve an ideal root-end cavity preparation and obturation.

Topic

What MTA obturation in nonsurgical retreatment can do compared to gutta-percha obturation with a sealer?

Synopsis

The quality of root filling and the obturation length have been shown by meta-analysis to be significant prognostic factors for non-surgical retreatment. Both thermoplastic and cold-compaction obturation techniques have been shown to provide acceptable obturation quality. However, teeth initially obturated by warm vertical compaction exhibit more cracks following retreatment than those obturated with the single-cone technique or cold lateral condensation as initial obturation techniques.

Bioceramic sealers combined with a well-fitted single gutta-percha cone have shown promising success rates in retrospective cohort studies. MTA (pure MTA) cement demonstrated improved antibacterial properties, the formation of an interphase layer with dentin, and consistent reformation of the periodontium when applied in retreatment cases. On the other hand, MTA requires a longer obturation time and is technique sensitive.

In this presentation, the advantages of MTA obturation over conventional gutta-percha and sealer obturation techniques regarding retreatments will be discussed. In addition, a root canal preparation technique and easy MTA obturation with a new obturation device will be demonstrated through clinical cases.

At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Describe the reasons to use MTA as a root filling material, especially in retreatment cases.
• Understand the advantages of pure MTA obturation over conventional obturation techniques.
• Become familiar with an efficient technique to obturate the root canals with MTA.