MANAGEMENT OF SEPARATED INSTRUMENTS WITHIN ROOT CANALS

Mechanical debridement of the microorganisms from root canal and thorough cleaning is the primary goal of a root canal treatment. Metallic instruments including manual and rotary files facilitate clinician to achieve this goal. Introduction of stainless steel and nickel titanium instruments have made a breakthrough in endodontics by saving the chair side time. In spite of this advantage, it has got a major drawback of separation too. Separation of instrument is a nightmare for all the clinicians. But having known the ways of overcoming this hurdle, it becomes easy to manage such cases. Various retrieval systems introduced in the market facilitates ease of removal of separated instrument. This article reviews the various instrument retrieval systems and the use of ultrasonics in retrieving separated instruments from the root canal.