I'm a general dentist, but I happen to love endodontics. I look at each case like a puzzle. It requires hand skills and brain power. I've also been really lucky to have been taught personally by some great endodontists over the years... and that has helped my skills greatly.
Of course, I also love tech and over the years endodontics has seen its fair share of amazing devices that make endo easier and more predictable. Many of the techniques and technologies that have been developed over the years are things to better debride and clean the canal. However, up until now it's been impossible to know how clean the canal really is. As the well known endodontist Dr. Brett Gilbert likes to say, "You can't see clean on an x-ray."
Endodontic instrumentation is important, but of equal importance is irrigation. It helps remove debris and to kill any remaining pathogens that can cause problems or reinfection at a later date. Many doctors spend a fair amount of time in this disinfection phase of the procedure. Of course the human eye cannot see pathogens, so we depend on irrigation to eliminate them. The problem has always been being confident the canal is clean... how we be sure when we have no way of determining that.
That problem is now solved with a new device from Vista-Apex Solutions called the Endocator. The device is a highly precise unit that is the first and only chairside device that detects trace amounts of ATP and other biomarkers inside the canal.
Once irrigation and disinfection have been completed, before obturation is started, a sample of sterile water is placed into the canal(s). It's then aspirated and a few drops of that water are applied to a 'test swab'. The swab is placed into a small tube, shaken, and the tube is then placed into the Endocator. The device then scans the sample and gives a numerical score indicating the amount of ATP and other biomarkers in the canal.
In the simplest terms, the lower the score, the better the odds of successful treatment. The Endocator removes the guesswork of disinfection. Knowledge is power and this device gives you a much better understanding of your disinfection for every case.
Whenever a new device comes on the market I consider three things...
- Does it allow me to do treatment better or at least at the same quality?
- Does it make me more efficient?
- Is it financially feasible? While I don't like to discuss money when it comes to my office, we all walk a tightrope of production vs. expenses.
- Quality: Yes. The whole concept behind the Endocator is better success with endo. Using the device will make you better.
- Efficiency: Yes. While it doesn't cut time off the procedure, it doesn't add much time either (maybe 2 minutes). It also cuts down on failures and retreatments which are time savers.
- Financial feasibility: The device is under $2000 so it is affordable and each use costs around $8. It also has the potential to eliminate postop problems and retreatments. That can be a significant cost savings for the office and the patient.
The device has been studied clinically and has the science to back up its claims. Its inventor, Dr. Randy Cross, has a great history. He graduated with a degree in Biochemistry and worked in the biotech field prior to entering dental school. He graduated dental school and practiced as a general dentist for ten years, before starting an Endodontic Residency program. His knowledge of both biochemistry and endodontics was the perfect incubator for a device that merges those two branches of science.
I saw the device when it was in its infancy and I've watched its development closely. As a doctor who loves endodontics, I've been wanting to tell the profession about it for a while, but now that's available for purchase I wanted to be one of the first to give you the news. It's pretty remarkable and can give you much more confidence in your endodontic procedures. Personally, I'm a big fan and I highly recommend it.
Also, Dr. Cross will be a guest on an upcoming episode of "The Technology Evangelist Podcast" so you'll be able to learn much more about his story and the story of the Endocator.
