Despite all the effort by dentists to provide high levels of dental care in
clinical practice, there is always the possibility of accidents occurring.
This report describes a referred case that presented with irreversible pul
pitis in tooth #19. The situation developed after accidental resectioning o
f the distal root of tooth #19 during the surgical extraction of tooth #18
by another dentist. The resultant open apex in the distal root of tooth #19
was managed conservatively. A positive apical stop was prepared at the roo
t end of the distal root and sterile calcium hydroxide powder was used to c
reate an apical barrier against which a gutta-percha filling was condensed.
The treatment appeared successful at 3-year follow-up.