AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MEASUREMENT OF THE WORKING LENGTH OF IMMATURE INCISOR TEETH REQUIRING ENDODONTIC TREATMENT IN CHILDREN

A study was undertaken to determine if a tactile technique, using abso rbent paper points, could be used to estimate the working length of no nvital immature incisor teeth undergoing endodontic treatment. Two ope rators were involved in measuring 35 incisor teeth. The tactile techni que was found to be valid and reliable. In 95% of the cases the estima ted working length was within 1 mm of the radiographic diagnostic leng th, It is recommended that diagnostic radiographs are no longer necess ary in the majority of cases involving endodontic treatment: of inciso r teeth requiring root end closure in children, for practitioners who are regularly carrying out endodontic treatment of immature incisor te eth. However, if a tooth has been on open drainage a diagnostic radiog raph is still required.