Patent ID: 6390819
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
A method for cleaning the operative coronal portion, the operative middle portion and the apical root portion of the operative root canal of a tooth, the method comprising:exposing the root canal by removing a portion of the tooth at a crown thereof and by removing the top of the pulp chamber; obtaining at least one endodontic instrument having a stainless steel file with an abrading portion for removing pulp material, the file having a length corresponding to at least the combined length of the operative coronal portion and the operative middle portion; inserting the file of the endodontic instrument into the operative coronal portion and the operative middle portion; removing and cleaning, essentially all pulp material from the operative coronal portion and the operative middle portion by flexing the file to urge the abrading portion of the instrument against root canal surfaces within the operative middle portion as the instrument is rotated and moved in a cleaning motion in conformance with the anatomical shape of the operative middle portion by following the contours of the operative middle portion as a guide for movement of the instrument, and without significantly extending the file of the instrument into the apical root portion; obtaining at least one apical portion cleaning instrument having a nickel/titanium file with an abrading portion for removing pulp material; and cleaning the apical root portion after the pulp material has been essentially removed from the operative coronal portion and the operative middle portion by abrading the apical root portion with the nickel/titanium file of the apical portion cleaning instrument.