Abstract: An endoactivator tool for activating intracanal reagents in a dental root canal system during endodontic procedures, with the tool comprising a flexible activator tip having a proximal end connected to a coupler to a driver and extending distally from the coupler to terminate at a most distal end, wherein the activator tip being shaped such that when the driver is activated, the coupler will induce vibrations in at least an activating portion of the activator tip, wherein the activating portion comprises at least one curved offset section displaced from the vibration axis in a plane including the vibration axis, wherein the activating portion has a length extending through a prepared dental root canal and a diameter sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the prepared root canal such that the activating portion can vibrate in the dental root canal when activated, and wherein the activating portion being made from a flexible, non-cutting material having a hardness less than the hardness of a root canal wall

Abstract: An endodontic activator is provided to facilitate the removal of pulp tissue, the smear layer, bacteria and related irritants from a root canal system. The activator is a sonically driven activator made from a strong, flexible, non-metallic, and non-cutting material. The activator can be smooth, flocked or brush-like. The activator comprises a snap-on coupler which is adapted to attach the tool to a driver without the use of tools. The activator can be provided with fluid passages which allow for irrigating reagents to be delivered into or vacuumed from the root canal space during endodontic procedures. By inducing sonic vibrations in the activator, hydrodynamic phenomena are induced in the solution in the root canal to enhance deep lateral cleaning of the root canal system of the tooth.

Abstract: An endodontic tool is provided to facilitate the removal of the smear layer and to enhance deep lateral cleaning of a root canal system. The tool is comprised of a sonic or ultrasonically driven activator which is made from a strong, flexible, non-metallic, and non-cutting material. The activator can be smooth. A snap-on coupler is adapted to attach the tool to a driver via a snap on action and without the use of tools. The driver will vibrate, sonically or ultrasonically, the flexible activator within a root canal of a tooth. The tool can be provided with fluid passages which allow for irrigating reagents to be delivered through the activator and into the root canal space during endodontic procedures.

Abstract: An endodontic tool is provided to facilitate the removal of the smear layer and to enhance deep lateral cleaning of a root canal system. The tool includes a sonic driven activator which is made from a strong, flexible, non-metallic, and non-cutting material. The activator can be smooth. A snap-on coupler is adapted to attach the tool to a driver via a snap on action and without the use of tools. The driver will vibrate, sonically or ultrasonically, the flexible activator within a root canal of a tooth. The tool can be provided with fluid passages which allow for irrigating reagents to be delivered through the activator and into the root canal space during endodontic procedures.

Abstract: An endodontic tool is provided to facilitate the removal of the smear layer and to enhance deep lateral cleaning of a root canal system. The tool is comprised of a sonic or ultrasonically driven activator which is made from a strong, flexible, non-metallic, and non-cutting material. The activator can be smooth. A snap-on coupler is adapted to attach the tool to a driver via a snap on action and without the use of tools. The driver will vibrate, sonically or ultrasonically, the flexible activator within a root canal of a tooth. The tool can be provided with fluid passages which allow for irrigating reagents to be delivered through the activator and into the root canal space during endodontic procedures.

Abstract: A cannula assembly is removably mountable to a syringe body having a pair of side-by-side chambers; there being an opening into each chamber at a bottom of the syringe. The cannula assembly includes a connector and a dual lumen assembly extending from the connector. The dual lumen assembly includes a pair of tubes defining two fluid paths. The connector includes fluid paths which, when the cannula assembly is mounted to the syringe, place the fluid path of one of the tubes in fluid communication with one of the syringe body chambers and the fluid path of the other of the dual lumen tubes in fluid communication with the other of the syringe body chambers.

Abstract: An endodontic activator is provided to facilitate the removal of pulp tissue, the smear layer, and, when present, bacteria and their related irritants from a root canal system during an endodontic procedure. The activator enhances disinfection and deep lateral cleaning of a root canal system. The activator is a sonically driven activator which is made from a strong, flexible, non-metallic, and non-cutting material. The activator can be smooth, flocked or brush-like. The activator comprises a snap-on coupler which is adapted to attach the tool to a driver via a snap on action and without the use of tools. The activator can be provided with fluid passages which allow for irrigating reagents to be delivered into or vacuumed from the root canal space during endodontic procedures. By inducing sonic vibrations in the activator, hydrodynamic phenomenon are induced in the solution in the root canal to enhance deep lateral cleaning of the root canal system of the tooth.

Abstract: A combined irrigator-vacuum device includes a pump assembly mountable over a syringe or device body. The device body has a dividing wall which divides the body into a clean chamber and a waste chamber. Openings are formed at the bottom of the body to provide an inlet into said waste chamber and an outlet from said clean chamber. The pump assembly includes a housing and a compressible cover defining a pump chamber. A vacuum valve and an irrigation valve are positioned within the pump chamber above the syringe waste chamber and clean chamber, respectively. The pump is operable such that compression of the cover causes irrigant fluid to be ejected from the clean chamber and release of the cover causes used irrigant to be vacuumed into the waste chamber. The device can be selectively switchable between an irrigation-vacuum mode, an irrigation-only mode and a vacuum-only mode.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for disinfecting and/or sterilizing a root canal system by targeting the water content of disease and debris in the canals. The laser technique of employs a frequency of the wavelength emissions between about 930 to about 1065 nanometers with an optimum of 980 nm. This range of wavelengths targets the water content of tissue cells and pathogens as well as any residual organic debris in water within the root canal system after its preparation while being poorly absorbed by the surrounding dentin. The selection of the optimum wavelength produces significant effects generating and advancing treatment to the targeted aqueous environments. This is due to the rapid energy absorption by the water and the subsequent creation of gas bubbles, liberation of heat and subsequent propulsion of waves of heat and gas that impact along the canal walls and ramifications resulting in an enhanced bacterial kill and cleaning of the canal walls and ramifications.

Abstract: A combined irrigator-vacuum device includes a pump assembly mountable over a syringe or device body. The device body has a dividing wall which divides the body into a clean chamber and a waste chamber. Openings are formed at the bottom of the body to provide an inlet into said waste chamber and an outlet from said clean chamber. The pump assembly comprises a housing and a compressible cover defining a pump chamber. A vacuum valve and an irrigation valve are positioned within the pump chamber above the syringe waste chamber and clean chamber, respectively. The pump is operable such that compression of the cover causes irrigant fluid to be ejected from the clean chamber and release of the cover causes used irrigant to be vacuumed into the waste chamber. The device can be selectively switchable between an irrigation-vacuum mode, an irrigation-only mode and a vacuum-only mode.

Abstract: A cannula assembly is removably mountable to a syringe body having a pair of side-by-side chambers; there being an opening into each chamber at a bottom of the syringe. The cannula assembly comprises a connector and a dual lumen assembly extending from the connector. The dual lumen assembly comprises a pair of tubes defining two fluid paths. The connector comprises fluid paths which, when the cannula assembly is mounted to the syringe, place the fluid path of one of the tubes in fluid communication with one of the syringe body chambers and the fluid path of the other of the dual lumen tubes in fluid communication with the other of the syringe body chambers.

Abstract: A contra-angled driver receives an endodontic activator to induce vibrations and/or oscillations in the activator at sonic frequencies. The driver includes a quick connect/disconnect to allow for quick and simple mounting and dismounting of the activator.

Abstract: Unitary, one-piece plastic molded micro-brushes are provided to remove the smear layer that remains in the root canal and access chamber after the pulp, bacteria, and related irritants have been mechanically and chemically removed from the root canal and access chamber using rotary cutting burs, files and various chemical reagents. The brushes include a handle, shaft or shank and a tapered brush section extending from the distal end of the shank. The brush section includes a plurality of bristles extending radially from a core. The bristles of the root canal brush can be formed in a reverse thread pattern. The brush section of the root canal brush has a diameter of between about 0.1 mm and about 0.2 mm at a tip end and a diameter of between about 0.5 mm and 3 mm at a coronal-most end. The brush section of the root canal brush is about 16 mm long, and has a taper of about 2% to about 12%. In the access chamber brush, the core can be formed as to be spherical, football-shaped, or tapered.

Abstract: Unitary, one-piece plastic molded micro-brushes are provided to remove the smear layer that remains in the root canal and access chamber after the pulp, bacteria, and related irritants have been mechanically and chemically removed from the root canal and access chamber using rotary cutting burs, files and various chemical reagents. The brushes include a handle, shaft or shank and a tapered brush section extending from the distal end of the shank. The brush section includes a plurality of bristles extending radially from a core. The bristles of the root canal brush can be formed in a reverse thread pattern. The brush section of the root canal brush has a diameter of between about 0.1 mm and about 0.2 mm at a tip end and a diameter of between about 0.5 mm and 3 mm at a coronal-most end. The brush section of the root canal brush is about 16 mm long, and has a taper of about 2% to about 12%. In the access chamber brush, the core can be formed as to be spherical, football-shaped, or tapered.

Abstract: A dental tool for use with an ultrasonic transducer, the tool being substantially elongated and defined by a shaft having a proximal end with a coupling attachment at the proximal end for attachment to an ultrasonic transducer, and a distal end having a tip configured for performing excavation, finishing, removal and a dental polishing procedures, and a fluid passage extending from the proximal end to the distal end and exiting at a port at or proximate the tip.

Abstract: An instrument removal tool includes a hollow tube defining a lumen having a bottom end, a top end, and a cutout spaced from the bottom end; the hollow tube having an outer diameter sized to be received in the root canal, an inner diameter sized to admit an instrument into the lumen, and a wall width at the bottom of the tube sized to allow the bottom end of the hollow tube to pass over the top of the instrument such that at least the top of the instrument is received in the lumen of the tube, and an elongated shaft sized to be received in the hollow tube from the top end of the tube; the shaft having a length sufficient to extend beyond the cutout in the hollow tube, the shaft having a bottom end and a top end; the bottom end of said shaft being tapered and having a rounded end to urge a top end of the instrument into the cutout; the shaft and tube cooperating to grasp the instrument.

Abstract: A micro-brush is provided to remove the smear layer that remains in the root canal after the pulp, bacteria, and related irritants have been mechanically and chemically removed from the root canal using files and sodium hypochlorite. The brush includes a shaft or shank and a tapered brush section extending from the distal end of the shank. The brush section includes a plurality of bristles extending radially from a central wire base. The bristles can be formed in a reverse thread pattern. The shank can be provided with a handle for manual use or the shank can be adapted to be received in a rotary, sonic, or ultrasonic handpiece to impart rotational or vibratory motion to the micro-brush. The brush section has a diameter of between about 0.2 mm and about 0.7 mm at a tip end and a diameter of between about 1 mm and 2 mm at a coronal-most end. The brush section is about 16 mm long, and thus has a taper of about 0.06 mm/mm and about 0.12 mm/mm.

Abstract: Briefly stated, the present invention provides a kit which facilitates the removal of obstructions, such as broken files, from the root canal of a patient during an endodontic or root canal procedure. The kit includes a trephine sized to be inserted in the root canal and adapted to widen the root canal around the obstruction to expose the obstruction and an obstruction removal tool adapted to engage and mechanically grasp the obstruction to remove the obstruction from the root canal. The obstruction removal tool includes a hollow tube and a plunger slideable within the tube. The hollow tube is sized to be inserted into the root canal a distance sufficient to receive the obstruction within its lumen. A cutout is spaced from the end of the hollow tube, and the hollow tube is slid over the obstruction a distance sufficient to generally align the top of the obstruction with the cutout. A plunger having a beveled end is slid through the hollow tube.

Abstract: An ultrasonic dental tool for use with an ultrasonic transducer, comprises a substantially elongate tool defined by a shaft having a proximal end with a connector for attachment to an ultrasonic transducer, a distal end having a tip configured for performing a dental procedure, a portion of straight cylindrical wall from the tip inward toward the proximal end, and a contra-angle portion of substantially uniform diameter on the proximal end, and a uniform gradual tapered portion intermediate the distal end and the proximal end.

Abstract: A dental tool apparatus for use in the removal of a dental post and other intercanal obstructions comprises a pliers having a first end for mounting a post connector and a second end for applying a force to the connector a substantially elongate post connector defined by a shaft having a proximal for attachment to a lever device, and a distal end having an open bore having a stepped diameter and self taping threads in the bore at the end for engaging and threading onto a dental post.