Endodontic therapy in the veterinary patient.

Standard root canal therapy is more clearly described as conventional endodontics. Most modern endodontic treatment involves removal of the irreversibly damaged pulp followed by cleaning and shaping of the root canal space and subsequent filling, or obturation, with a semisolid material and a sealer. A general increase in awareness of the benefits of veterinary endodontics has created a rise in the demand for endodontic procedures that help to retain the teeth longer. This article on endodontic therapy includes endodontic anatomy, diagnosis of endodontic disease, pulpectomy techniques of access preparation, canal preparation and filling the canal, partial coronal pulpectomy, and treatment of the open apex. Familiarity of the techniques covered in this article and with advances in veterinary endodontics have become necessary for the veterinary dental practitioner.