An Infinity of Root Canal Cleanliness

This wonderful patient has a healthy grinding and an ice-chewing habit. Some weeks back they had bit into a hard mint and immediately experienced severe pain. Their discomfort had reduced over the following weeks but was still present when I met them.

We discussed treatment options and decided that saving the tooth was desirable. Root canal treatment was immediately carried out in a single appointment.

Despite the extensive calcification, I carefully located 3 treatable canals and a 4th canal which eluded me till after sealer placement.

After conservatively shaping the canals using carefully chosen endodontic files, I  carried out a Gentlewave  Procedure on the tooth. This unsurpassed cleaning method, disinfects the tooth and removes all bacterial biofilm and pulpal remnants.  The canal system was then sealed with bioceramic and the opening in the patient’s crown repaired with a bonded composite.

 

Thanks to the cleaning prowess of The Gentlewave, the untouched canal in the mesiobuccal root was thoroughly disinfected. This is evidenced by the dramatic 3-D fill noted on the post-treatment radiograph.

Even if I had got a file in there, there is no possible way I’d have persuaded it to follow that complex anatomy.

A beautiful figure of 8 or perhaps an “infinity of canal cleanliness”. Wow!