Present status and future directions: Removal of fractured instruments

The success rate of fractured instrument retrieval varies because it is dependent mainly on several factors including the visibility of the fractured instrument, the length of the fractured instrument in relation to the curvature of the canal and the techniques applied to each case. This review aims to update the present status on removal of fractured instruments to identify factors and variables that could affect the success of fractured instrument retrieval based on both the preparation techniques and the instrument retrieval techniques. On the other hand, future directions of fractured instrument retrieval should focus on management of nonvisible fractured instruments since the removal of those instruments is deemed unpredictable with the current techniques, whereas the removal of visible fractured instruments is considered predictable now. Another possible direction of it is that there might be no more instrument fracture due to possible significant changes in the root canal preparation technique which may dispense with the use of rotary instruments.