GB2425959A

GB2425959A - Non-round root canal plugger

Info

Publication number: GB2425959A
Application number: GB0509595A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shanon Patel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-05-11
Filing date: 2005-05-11
Publication date: 2006-11-15
Also published as: GB0509595D0

Abstract

A root canal plugger 5 which has a non-round cross-sectional shape to obturate non-round root canals 2. Preferably the plugger 5 is available in varying sizes and shapes to match the root canal 2 into which filling material 6 is being packed. The plugger 5 may have a blunt tip for compaction and a narrower shaft for improved access, flexibility and visibility. The root canal obturation system may include non-round pluggers, matched root canal filling points and matched paper points.

Description

1 2425959

Patent Specification

Root Canal Plugger This invention relates to a novel shaped root canal plugger to compact root fillings in root canals which are non-round in cross section.

A root canal plugger is used to compact down root filling material in a root canal of a tooth. Commercially available root canal pluggers are round in cross section.

Just prior to inserting the root filling material into the prepared root canal an appropriately sized root canal plugger is chosen that is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of the root canal.

Once the root filling material is placed in the canal, the pre-selected plugger is used to compact down the root filling material. However, it is not uncommon for prepared root canals to be non-round (e.g. elliptical) in cross section, in these situations currently available pluggers do not adequately encompass the root filling material resulting in certain areas (the periphery) of the root filling material not being adequately packed down within the root canal. Also, when these commercially available root canal pluggers are used in non-round shaped root canals the root filling material that is not in contact with the plugger has a tendency to flow up the canal around the edges of the plugger resulting in inadequately packed regions of the root filling.

To overcome this potential problem the present invention proposes making a root canal plugger with a non-round cross section to be used in root canals with a non-round (elliptical) cross sectional shape non-round. It is also proposed to make this plugger available in a variety of sizes.

This new plugger will be in contact with more of the root filling material in non- round (e.g. elliptical) cross sectional root canals resulting in a more uniformly packed root filling material.

The invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: -Figure 1 is a bucco-lingual section showing a traditional root canal plugger compacting a root filling in a non-round (e.g. elliptical) root canal.

-Figure 2 is a horizontal cross section of figure 1 showing a traditional root canal plugger compacting down a root filling in an elliptical root canal, note the poor fit' of the plugger away from the centre of the canal (i.e. at the periphery of the root canal).

-Figure 3 is a bucco-lingual section showing the proposed new root canal plugger compacting down a root filling in an non-round (e.g. elliptical) root canal.

-Figure 4 is a cross section of figure 3 showing the proposed new root canal plugger compacting down a root filling in an elliptical root canal In figure 1 the plugger (1) does not fit snugly in the root canal (2), this results in only the root filling (3) directly under the plugger (1) being adequately packed down. The root filling material that is not in contact with the plugger is not packed down but flows up the canal (4).

Figure 2 shows how the traditional root canal plugger (1) which is round in cross section does not adequately fit the non-round (in this case elliptical) root canal (2). This results in areas (4) of the root filling material not being adequately packed down.

Figure 3 shows the new non-round root canal plugger (5) fitting more snugly in the same non-round root canal (2) as figure 1 resulting in a greater surface area of the non-round (elliptical) root canal plugger contacting the root filling material below. This results in a greater surface area of the root filling material being packed down (6).

Figure 4 shows how the new non-round root canal plugger (5) cross section is a snug fit in the non-round (in this case elliptical) root canal (2). This results in more of the root filling material being adequately packed down.

The root canal plugger may be available in a variety of different materials including stainless steel and nickel-titanium alloys. The working tip of the plugger which compacts the root filling may be 4-6mm in length, and this may be connected to a narrower shank which links the plugging' tip of the instrument to the handle. The narrow shank will improve operator visibility of the root filling being packed down.

This plugger may be available in a variety of different cross-sectional sizes to take into account the varying anatomy of root canals.

The plugger may have markings at intervals to indicate the distance from its tip.

These may be indentations on the plugger itself and or coloured coded markings or a combination of the two.

Claims

Claims 1. A root canal plugger which has a non-round cross-sectional shape

to obturate root canals which have a non-round cross sectional shape.
2. A root canal plugger as described in claim I will be available in a series of different sizes therefore ensuring that there is a suitable sized instrument to match the cross sectional size and shape of the part of the canal being packed with root filling material.
3. A root canal plugger as described in the preceding claims available in a series of different cross sectional shapes therefore ensuring that there is an instrument of similar cross section to that of the shape of the canal into which the filling material is to be packed.
4. A root canal plugger as described in the preceding claims with a blunt tip for the vertical compaction of the root canal filling material.
5. A plugger as described in the preceding claims having a narrower shaft to improve access, flexibility and visibility.
6. A root canal plugger substantially as described in the accompanying

description and figures, and preceding claims.
7. A root canal filling/obturation system which may include non-round cross sectional pluggers as described in the preceding claims, and matched root canal filling points and matched paper points.