A Method for µCT Based Assessment of Root Canal Instrumentation in Endodontics Research

The field of dendodontics is devoted to the study and treatment of tissues inside (endo) the tooth (dontia). When a nerve within a tooth becomes necrotic and/or infected, so-called root canal therapy might be considered. In this case, a dental practitioner cleans and widens the inner root canal system by chemical irrigation and mechanical instrumentation with respect to the original canal morphology (see Figure 1). The success of this dental theray largely depends on the safety and effectiveness — thorough cleaning and proper shaping — of the techniques employed for mechanical instrumentation (e.g. NiTi rotary files).