Complications during root canal
treatment
Outlines
 Spillage on clothing
 Accidental spillage on eye
 Sodium hypochlorite accident
 Allergic reaction
 Air emphysema
Spillage on clothing
Accidental spillage on eye
 Irrigant contact with the eye result in:
 Immediate pain
 Profuse tears
 Burning sensation
 Erythema
 Management:
 Immediate ocular irrigation with large amount of water or sterile
saline should be performed by the dentist or the patient.
 Patient is referred for ophthalmologist for further examination and
treatment
Sodium hypochlorite accident
 Causes:
 Teeth with wide apical foramina
 Apical constriction destroyed during excessive root canal
preparation
 Extreme pressure during irrigation
 Binding of irrigation needle tip in the root canal
 Not determining working length or going beyond it.
 Symptoms
 Immediate sever pain
 Immediate edema of the neighboring soft tissue
 Profuse bleeding from root canal
 Ecchymosis of the skin and mucosa
 Chlorine taste in the mouth
 Irritation of throat if injected in maxillary sinus
 Possible secondary infection
 Anesthesia or paresthesia that is reversible
 Edema may extend to the half side of the face, upper lip and
infraorbital region
management
 Inform the patient about the cause and severity of complications
 Stay calm and reassure the patient
 Pain control: local anesthetic, analgesics
 Swelling and edema: extraoral cold compression. After 1 day replace with
warm compression and warm mouthrinse
 Secondary infection: antibiotics
 Antihistamine and corticosteroids
 endodontic treatment can be resumed after the symptom has resolved,
use non-irritant irrigant like CHx and Saline.
Allergic reaction
 NaOCl allergies are rare
 If occurred, refer to hospital.
 Use non-allergic irrigant instead
 When the patient is allergic to sodium hypochlorite, he also
considered allergic to CHx.
Air emphysema
 Cause
 When root canal dried with compressed air, which pass through root
canal into periapical area
 Management
 Does not require antibiotic or any other therapy.
 In most cases resolve after few days.

Complications During Root Canal Irrigation

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Outlines  Spillage onclothing  Accidental spillage on eye  Sodium hypochlorite accident  Allergic reaction  Air emphysema
  • 3.
  • 4.
    Accidental spillage oneye  Irrigant contact with the eye result in:  Immediate pain  Profuse tears  Burning sensation  Erythema  Management:  Immediate ocular irrigation with large amount of water or sterile saline should be performed by the dentist or the patient.  Patient is referred for ophthalmologist for further examination and treatment
  • 5.
    Sodium hypochlorite accident Causes:  Teeth with wide apical foramina  Apical constriction destroyed during excessive root canal preparation  Extreme pressure during irrigation  Binding of irrigation needle tip in the root canal  Not determining working length or going beyond it.
  • 6.
     Symptoms  Immediatesever pain  Immediate edema of the neighboring soft tissue  Profuse bleeding from root canal  Ecchymosis of the skin and mucosa  Chlorine taste in the mouth  Irritation of throat if injected in maxillary sinus  Possible secondary infection  Anesthesia or paresthesia that is reversible  Edema may extend to the half side of the face, upper lip and infraorbital region
  • 7.
    management  Inform thepatient about the cause and severity of complications  Stay calm and reassure the patient  Pain control: local anesthetic, analgesics  Swelling and edema: extraoral cold compression. After 1 day replace with warm compression and warm mouthrinse  Secondary infection: antibiotics  Antihistamine and corticosteroids  endodontic treatment can be resumed after the symptom has resolved, use non-irritant irrigant like CHx and Saline.
  • 8.
    Allergic reaction  NaOClallergies are rare  If occurred, refer to hospital.  Use non-allergic irrigant instead  When the patient is allergic to sodium hypochlorite, he also considered allergic to CHx.
  • 9.
    Air emphysema  Cause When root canal dried with compressed air, which pass through root canal into periapical area  Management  Does not require antibiotic or any other therapy.  In most cases resolve after few days.