Abstract: An apparatus for controlling asymmetrical coasting of an endodontic reciprocating motor includes a controller operatively connected to the endodontic motor. The controller may include a processing unit that is configured to direct the rotation of the endodontic motor in the forward direction for a coast time and configured to direct the rotation of the endodontic motor in the reverse direction for a coast time. The forward coast time is separately calculated from the reverse coast time. A method for asymmetrically coasting a reciprocating endodontic motor includes rotating an endodontic motor in a forward direction and calculating a forward coast time for the forward direction and coasting the endodontic motor in the forward direction for the calculated forward coast time. After coasting the endodontic motor in the forward direction, the endodontic motor is rotated in a reverse direction. The reverse coast time is different than the forward coast time.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling asymmetrical coasting of an endodontic reciprocating motor includes a controller operatively connected to the endodontic motor. The controller may include a processing unit that is configured to direct the rotation of the endodontic motor in the forward direction for a coast time and configured to direct the rotation of the endodontic motor in the reverse direction for a coast time. The forward coast time is separately calculated from the reverse coast time. A method for asymmetrically coasting a reciprocating endodontic motor includes rotating an endodontic motor in a forward direction and calculating a forward coast time for the forward direction and coasting the endodontic motor in the forward direction for the calculated forward coast time. After coasting the endodontic motor in the forward direction, the endodontic motor is rotated in a reverse direction. The reverse coast time is different than the forward coast time.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing material during a dental or endodontic procedure includes a housing having a motor with an output. A needle heating member including a chamber may receive a prefilled needle of dispensing material. A heater at least substantially surrounds the chamber for heating the material in the needle. A plunger is used to expel the material from the needle during activation of the motor. A reusable protective sheath is provided for disposition on the outside of the housing. A method of manufacturing a needle for use and dispensing a material during a dental or endodontic procedure includes drawing a blank of metal having a closed distal end, bending the blank at a desired angle, and removing a portion of the drawn metal from the distal end to open the distal end thereby forming the dispensing needle.

Abstract: An endodontic instrument includes an elongated shaft having a tip and a portion capable of being inserted into the root canal of a tooth. The shaft further includes a plurality of depth markers which are perceivable in a radiograph for indicating the depth of the tip within the root canal. The markers may comprise bumps having a diameter greater than the diameter of the elongated shaft by an amount sufficient to distinguish the markers from the shaft on the radiograph. Alternately, or additionally, the markers may have a radiopacity different from the radiopacity of the shaft by an amount sufficient to distinguish the markers from the shaft on the radiograph. The shaft may be selectively coated with paints, dyes, and/or inks having radiopaque properties. The markers may take the form of circumferential rings or other indicia such as numerals, letters and/or geometrical shapes.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing material during a dental or endodontic procedure includes a housing having a motor with an output. A needle heating member including a chamber may receive a prefilled needle of dispensing material. A heater at least substantially surrounds the chamber for heating the material in the needle. A plunger is used to expel the material from the needle during activation of the motor. A reusable protective sheath is provided for disposition on the outside of the housing. A method of manufacturing a needle for use and dispensing a material during a dental or endodontic procedure includes drawing a blank of metal having a closed distal end, bending the blank at a desired angle, and removing a portion of the drawn metal from the distal end to open the distal end thereby forming the dispensing needle.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a dental instrument having a desired machined configuration, without twisting the instrument. A blank of superelastic material is brought to an annealed state comprising a phase structure including a rhombohedral phase alone or in combination with austenite and/or martensite, or a combination of martensite and austenite. In this annealed state, a portion of the annealed material is removed at low temperature, for example less than about 100° C., and advantageously at ambient temperature, to form a final machined configuration for the instrument. The instrument is then heat treated and rapidly quenched to a superelastic condition.

Abstract: A superelastic endodontic instrument, such as a file, is formed by grinding a superelastic wire to form a file preform or blank, and rotating a first end of the blank while preventing rotation of a second end of the blank. The file blank is maintained in the austenite phase at least until twisted to form a stress induced martensite which is plastically deformed by the twisting. A heat treatment step may be performed prior to twisting, during twisting or after twisting of the preform. The file blank may be heated by electrical heating methods or by submerging the blank in a heated liquid.

Abstract: A medical or dental probe having a resistive, integrally heated tip including a superelastic material such as nickel-titanium alloy. The probe tip provides a nearly continuous, controllable heat, and it may have a narrow, pointed shape. The tip may be heated rapidly, and it provides rapid heating of the instrument, continuous supply of heat for the purpose desired, and concentration of maximum heat at the end of the tip. The added flexibility allows the tip to follow the curvature of a canal of a tooth without the need to pre-bend the tip which increases the working life of the tip and provides for improved packing of the material used to fill the root canal.

Abstract: An endodontic root canal file having an inner tapered core and a plurality of cutting sections lying between the core and an outer tapered envelope, each progressively decreasing in size from the proximate end to the distal end of the file. Each cutting section of the file having an intermediate cylindrical section extending radially outwardly from the core, a frusto-conical distal section tapering inwardly from the cylindrical section to the core and a planar annular proximate end surface section extending radially inwardly from the proximate end of the intermediate cylindrical section portion to the distal end of the next proximally adjacent cutting section. A plurality of grooves extend longitudinally and radially inwardly through the distal, intermediate and proximal sections of each cutting section and define non-helical flutes which provide distally and radially inwardly inclined cutting edges that lie in planes through the axis of the file and perpendicular to the circular circumference of the file.

Abstract: A suture retriever and method for manipulating suture during endoscopic surgical procedures. The suture retriever has an elongated housing provided with a needle tip and a lateral opening situated near the tip. A suture engaging hook is extendable through the lateral opening and away from the axis of the housing in order to snare a suture. The hook is situated at the distal end of an elongated flexible support which is pre-formed in order to enable the hook to be laterally displaced from the axis of the needle tip when the support is moved distally relative to the lateral opening. When a suture is engaged by the hook, the latter is retracted proximally in order to place and hold the suture adjacent the lateral opening.