Patent ID: 6217335
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
A method for anatomical cleaning of the operative coronal portion, the operative middle portion and the apical root portion of an operative root canal in 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;removing and cleaning essentially all pulp material from the operative coronal portion and the operative middle portion by flexing an instrument to urge an abrading portion of the instrument, which abrading portion has a length corresponding to at least the length of the operative middle portion, 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 guide for movement of the instrument, and without significantly extending the abrading portion of the instrument into the apical root portion; andcleaning the apical root portion after the pulp material has been essentially removed from the operative coronal portion and the operative middle portion by deliverying irrigants into the apical portion and then removing the irrigants.