Gutta Percha Points

THE ENTIRE endodontic procedure, from diagnosis through instrumentation, can be said to be just a prelude to the [fill." The filling of the canal with gutta-percha visually displays to everyone all your preceding efforts and work that have led to this last step in completion of the root canal therapy. The most important part of this last step is the fitting of the gutta-percha point. The point must fit well enough so that you know with the utmost predictability what the final result will look like, even before you complete the procedure. If the preceding instrumentation has been done well the point will be very easy to fit and the result will be predictably excellent. So, exactly what do we do in fitting the point?


Constant modification of our instrumentation over the years has led us to the EZ-Fill® SafeSider technique. This sequence of instrumentation allows us to fill the canal with gutta-percha easily, effectively, and quickly. The key to the fill is to make sure that the last two nickel-titanium instruments, the orange 30/.04 and the brown 25/.08, go to the apex easily with no binding. Once this is accomplished, we can fit the gutta-percha point and fill the canal.


I use the tapered gutta-percha points. The 25/.08 prepares the canal to a .08 taper. Therefore, I use a .06 tapered gutta-percha point. Each manufacturer`s point varies slightly from the Others, but most of the .06 tapered points are very close to specifications. I use either a 25/.06 or a 30/.06 gutta-percha point. I select the point depending on how easy it was to instrument to the apex with the 30/.04. This instrument opens the apex to a #30.


By using hand jigs to roll our Gutta Percha, we are able to produce the most precise and resilient points possible. Hand jigs produce a point with a smooth round tip, which provides optimal apical seal.