PULP FICTION
Volume 4 | June 2025
The Editor's Cut - On Fellowship, Fractures, and False Certainty
As we launch our next Fellowship intake, it seems fitting that this edition of Pulp Fiction dives into the tension between what we know, what we assume, and what we’re only just beginning to question.
Volume Four features another eclectic collection of critiques, case studies, and clinical reflections — from vertical root fractures that defy conventional wisdom to Jedi endodontics, and the human side of healing.
Please enjoy this volume, and if you’d like to apply to the upcoming fellowship course, please find the link here.
Make sure to read to the end and complete a short quiz for some convenient CPD points and a stretch of your academic muscles.
View from the Roof
- Journal Dossier
In August 2022, I fell of my roof at home and ruined a perfectly good body. You would have thought that many months of paralysis from the waist down would be a time for deep inner reflection and a chance to emerge reborn as a wonderful human being. Sadly, that was not the case. I got better and I am still a cynical, miserable bastard.
Here are possibly less-than-glowing reviews of some recent articles in the International Endodontic Journal.
Vertical Root Fractures and the Trouble with Microcracks
In this clinical breakdown, we revisit a study that turns the familiar story of vertical root fractures on its head. Are those mid-root cracks you’re seeing real pathology, or lab-created artefacts? And what does that mean for diagnosis? For those who’ve long relied on surface-originating theories, this one might be a bit uncomfortable.
Inflammatory Mediators and Instrument Choice
A highly detailed study confirms what most clinicians already know: mechanical irritation causes inflammation. Post-op pain isn’t about your file’s logo — and this paper misses it.
HCSC vs. Calcium Hydroxide for Pulp Capping
Materials matter, but they’re not the whole story. This meta-analysis leans hard on one big study and overlooks the human side of healing: diagnosis, asepsis, and technique. A reminder not to let materials do all the talking.
Instagram Case Studies by Dr Selouk
Endodontic education meets Instagram-worthy content. David is back with two case studies that’ll make you look twice before doom-scrolling.
Laser-assisted, flapless resorption repair guided by Navident — and just in time for May the Fourth. In this case, precision planning meets advanced navigation to create something that looks a lot like magic (or the Force).
To Laser or Not to Laser
Irene Soriano
Do lasers represent the future of endo, or just another overpromised gadget? Irene breaks down the protocols, the pitfalls, and what it means to reduce failure rates without compromising structural integrity.
The Wolf
Cracked Teeth and the Art of Detection
Winston’s back. And this time, he’s talking cracks: how to spot them, how to stop them, and how to avoid promising things you can’t deliver. No nonsense, no fluff — just sharp diagnostics, clear principles, and a healthy dose of grit. If you’ve ever second-guessed a bite test, this one’s for you.
CPD Quiz - Now Live
As always, we’ve included a short CPD quiz at the end of this volume to help you reflect, review, and earn your points without the tedium. Whether you breeze through or need a second pass (we won’t tell), it’s a chance to sharpen your thinking and reinforce the clinical insights from this issue.
In Closing
From lasers and VR training to the enduring mysteries of cracked teeth and vertical root fractures, Volume Four reminds us that good dentistry is about more than protocols — it’s about perspective.
If you’re ready to challenge assumptions, embrace precision, and learn from a community that values clinical rigour and intellectual honesty, applications for our 2025 Fellowship Programme are now open. We look forward to seeing who applies.
