Management of Broken Instrument in Endodontics

Abstract:
In 1968 Professor Louis Grossman stated, ‘‘The dentist who has not broken an instrument in the root canal has not treated many root canals’’. A fractured instrument may be an obstacle to mechanical and chemical treatment of an infected root canal system. Bacteria and pulp tissue, which remain in the root canal because of insufficient cleaning, may have a negative impact on treatment outcome Instrument removal itself represents a risk. The decision to retain or remove the instrument depends on factors that involve the preoperative status of the tooth, the size, length and position of the fragment and the operator’s skill and armamentarium. Modern removal techniques aim to predictable remove the broken instrument in a minimally invasive way for the tooth structure. The factors that affect the clinical decision making on broken file cases as well as modern instrument removal techniques are presented in this webinar.