Excessive heat ‐associated gingival necrosis: a case report

This report describes the case of a 45 year old male, who was undergoing restorative treatment in a multi‐specialty dental practice. As part of his overall treatment planning, orthograde root canal retreatment for his maxillary left incisor teeth was deemed necessary, due to chronic apical periodontitis. Following cold lateral compaction, the coronal portion of the core material was severed using a System B Heat Source (Kerr Dental, Orange, CA, USA), with the patient reporting pain as well as a burning sensation. The following day the patient was seen by a periodontist and gingival necrosis in relation to the central incisor was found. The most likely cause of the complication was considered to be excessive heat during the operative procedure. The patient was followed up for a 2‐year period and the soft tissues returned to their original condition without the need for periodontal treatment.

Source: Australian Dental Journal - June 14, 2017 Category: Dentistry Authors: PL Barnes, G Rossi ‐Fedele Tags: Case Report Source Type: research