Guided access is used in root-canal treatment when calcification makes the pulp canal difficult to locate. Studies compare it with conventional treatment for calcific metamorphosis.
Emergency pain situations often make guided endodontics impractical. An inaccurate plan or a poor fit between the guide sleeve and bur can divert the access cavity from its plan or cause perforation.
For calcific metamorphosis, conventional access is the comparator. Guided treatment has been reported as minimally invasive, with reduced chairside time in the reviewed comparison.
Reported failures are uncommon, yet a guide can deviate from the planned access or perforate the tooth. A failed procedure may need endodontic microsurgery, and heat generation raises concern about thermal injury.
