Current status of the use of ultrasound in endodontics

Although endosonics has received much attention in the literature, it is not clear whether it is recommended. This review discusses the types of endosonic unit available, ultrasonic phenomena such as cavitation and acoustic streaming, irrigation, cutting dentine, and clinical techniques for cleaning and shaping. The more recent evidence suggests that endosonics provides an efficient method of debridement providing sodium hypochlorite is used, but is less efficient at shaping the walls of the canals. New methods of filing have been introduced by the manufacturers but they have not taken into account the most recent research; for this reason an alternative approach is described.