Sodium Hypochlorite Accident – A Complication of Poor Access Cavity Design

From Volume 36, Issue 1, January 2009 | Pages 7-12

Authors

Mary A H Doherty

BDS, MFDS RCS(Eng)

Senior House Officer in Sedation, South Birmingham Primary Care Trust, Wales

Articles by Mary A H Doherty

Matthew B M Thomas

BDS, MFDS, MPhil, MRD, FDS(Rest Dent), FDS RCSEd,

Specialist Registrar in Restorative Dentistry, Cardiff University Dental Hospital, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XY, UK

Articles by Matthew B M Thomas

Paul M H Dummer

BDS, MScD, PhD, DDSc, FDS RCS(Ed)

Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Wales

Articles by Paul M H Dummer

Abstract

A case is presented of soft tissue damage resulting from inadvertent injection of sodium hypochlorite through a perforation created during root canal treatment of a mandibular incisor. The importance of access cavity design to help avoid such complications is highlighted and the anatomy of the mandibular incisor is discussed. Measures to minimize the risk of a hypochlorite accident and its potentially serious complications are proposed.

Article