Purpose: To explore the application of 3D printing digital positioning guide in root canal retreatment.
Methods: Eighty-two isolated teeth collected in Chifeng College Affiliated Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 were selected, and divided into experimental group and control group by random number table method, with 41 teeth in each group. Both groups were given root canal retreatment. The control group underwent traditional pulpotomy, while the experimental group underwent precise pulpotomy under 3D printing digital positioning guide. The damage of the coronal prosthesis caused by pulpotomy was compared between the two groups, the time of pulpotomy was recorded, removal of root canal fillings in the two groups was counted, fracture resistance of the tooth tissue in the two groups was compared, and the incidence of complications in the two groups was recorded. SPSS 18.0 software package was used for statistical analysis of the data.
Results: The ratio of pulp opening area to total dental and maxillofacial area in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P＜0.05). The pulp opening time in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05), and the root canal preparation time in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in the total time between pulp opening and root canal preparation between the two groups(P＞0.05). The removal rate of root canal filling in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P＜0.05). The failure load value of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of total complications between the two groups (P＞0.05).
Conclusions: Application of 3D-printed digital positioning guides in root canal retreatment can achieve precise and minimally invasive pulp opening, reduce damage to coronal restorations, preserve more dental tissue, and improve the removal efficiency of root canal fillings and the fracture resistance of dental tissue, as well as performance, safety and reliability.