A radiographic evaluation of the periapical status of teeth treated by the gutta-percha-eucapercha endodontic method: a one-year follow-up study of 458 root canals. Part III.

In Part I which appeared two issues previously, the authors discussed the variations in treatment methods of nonsurgical endodontic therapy and in the determination of success and failure. They then reported on the materials and methods used and the radiographic criteria for success and failure in their clinical study of 458 root canals treated by the gutta-percha-eucapercha method. In Part II which appeared in the last issue, the one-year follow-up results were presented. Some of these results differ from previous investigations. For example, better success was found in (1) necrotic cases with areas of pathosis than in necrotic cases without "areas and in (2) overfilled cases than in underfilled cases. In Part III the authors discuss the possible reasons for these and other findings and give some implications for clinical practice.