«Separated Root Canal Instruments – An overview of incidence, localisation, treatment strategies and outcome»

The dreaded fracture of a root canal instrument is in fact a rare adverse event. Most instrument fractures occur in molar teeth with the highest degree of root curvature. Various treatment options (leaving the fractured instrument with or without apicoectomy, bypassing or removing the fragment) and removing techniques (using ultrasonics, hollow tubes or bypassing and removing with debriders) are discussed. The clinical prognosis for teeth with fractured instruments is not necessarily compromised if appropriate further treatment is undertaken. Indeed, it is the timing of instrument fracture and the associated level of infection that will dictate treatment outcomes.