CLEANING AND SHAPING OF ROOT CANAL

Cleaning and Shaping of the root canal system is a complex procedure performed with various instruments and chemicals in a restricted environment. Cleaning is debridement whereas Shaping is the preparation of the canal for obturation. Both these procures are quite different and require different criteria for evaluation. Cleaning depends on straight line access and requires the action of both intracanal instruments and irrigants. This is followed by irrigation, which has the primary function of flushing debris from the canal space. The chemical action of the irrigant is less important but is an aid in total debridement. Shaping of the canal depends on the obturating material and the condensing material.