Re: Manual Versus Mechanical Endodontic Glidepath

Performing endodontics using constant-tapered instruments can result in inconsistent preparation of the root canal, for canals do not have a constant taper–the coronal 2/3 of the canal can be over-prepared, while the apical 1/3 can be underprepared. Often, use of constant-tapered instruments calls for an increased number of instruments, which thereby can increase the procedural costs.* Remove infected soft tissue, dentin, and bacteria in the canal, which are the primary etiologies in the development of pulpal and periapical disease lesions.
* Allow access for irrigants into the canal and create space for easy, efficient obturation. * Conserve needed root structure in the coronal 2/3 to prevent vertical root fractures for long term restorative success. With the advent of NiTi rotary files, root canals can be shaped and cleaned more efficiently than with hand instruments. Now available are non-constant or variable-tapered instruments that maintain the coronal 2/3 of the root while achieving deep apical 1/3 shaping for optimal irrigation and bacteria removal.The following minimally invasive technique details the proper shaping, cleaning, and disinfection of the root canal and the need for the variable-tapered instruments used. Also stressed is the importance of conserving coronal root structure for endodontic success.Before shaping the canal with NiTi rotary instruments, preparing a glide-path is needed to significantly reduce the stress on the instruments due to canal irregularities and calcification. (2) The glide-path phase entails irrigating with Aqueous 17% Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), then instrumenting with a #10 (and optional #15) hand files to the working length for safer, easier use of NiTi rotary instruments. The full glide-path phase guidelines can be found in the complete article online at http://www.dprworld.com.Shaping and cleaning phase Variable-tapered NiTi rotary files are used to shape the canal, removing infected dentin and pulpal tissue and allowing irrigants proper access to clean the canal.