MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Abstract: Root Canals have become an increasingly popular method to treatment as opposed to extraction due to the advancement of understanding oral hygiene and dental procedures. One of the primary restorative materials used in a root canal is gutta-percha which allows professionals to close the site of decay once the decay has been removed. Gutta-percha was introduced as a restorative material nearly 80 years ago and is now the primary (if not only) material used in treatment. Because of the increasing rise in procedures, and due to the past deficit of gutta-percha, it is important to find ways to conserve this material and to find substitutes in the event that gutta-percha is no longer a viable option for treatment. A popular substitute for gutta-percha that is being tested and used is Resilon material. This material comes with its own challenges and benefits that will be further discussed in the paper.

Reader's Profile: My primary readers will be dental professors, endodontists and dental students

Reader's Response: My fear is that professionals who have been practicing for several years, and those who are well settled and used to using gutta- percha will be skeptical of using a new material and will be reluctant to acknowledge the importance of a deficit.

R -- look at H's paper. Let's have you both see one another's documents. You might share a source or two on gutta percha substitutes.