Endodontic treatment during pregnancy: case series and literature review

The aim of this paper is to provide a scientific basis for conducting safe root canal treatment in pregnant women, illustrating with case reports treated in the extension project Maternal-Child Dental Care at the Federal University of Pelotas. The scientific bases address the main doubts of professionals when performing prenatal dental care: use of radiographic examination, local anesthetics, prescription of medications, among other essential factors in the care of pregnant women. The assisted pregnant women sought care with dental pain. In two cases symptomatic irreversible pulpitis was diagnosed, while a third was experiencing acute apical periodontitis. Endodontic procedures were performed under controlled and standardized conditions. The root canals were prepared in a single session, using mechanical instrumentation with reciprocating kinematics (Wave One® Gold Primary - Dentsply Sirona), and the root canal length was determined by an electronic apex locator FinePex (Schuster). Root canal filling was performed by the single cone technique with Wave One® gutta-percha points. After endodontic treatment, coronal sealing was performed with composite resin A2 Z350 XT (3M ESPE). The care related to the gestational condition is highlighted, and the patients remain under monitoring. It is concluded that the use of apical locators and mechanical instrumentation, using reciprocating files associated with the single cone obturation technique with a standardized cone for each system, represents advances for the accomplishment of endodontic treatment in pregnant patients due to the shorter clinical time and greater comfort of the procedure.