Endodontics in the fast lane and the truth about irrigation.

The introduction of rotary and reciprocating endodontic instruments has been one of the greatest innovations in dentistry. Long and difficult procedures, largely dependent on the operator’s skills, have become now easy, fast and predictable. Anyway, most of the protocols proposed are based upon commercial criteria, and not on clinical reality. In other words, most brands propose protocols based upon the exclusive use of their instruments, often with a manual phase performed with stainless steel hand files. In the real world of contemporary endodontics, the use of hand instruments is no longer needed in most of the root canals; mixing rotary and reciprocating instruments of different brands, often without hand instruments, can lead to consistently excellent results with minimum risks and efforts. This saves a lot of time, and this time can be spent for the use of irrigation procedures, always remembering that instruments shape, but irrigants clean. Sodium hypoclorite is, still today, the gold standard for irrigation, but it can’t be used without some techniques and devices in  order to achieve the needed effect.