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ePaper created 2017-09-12, 09:26:18 | version 1.38.0
| industry news VDW A new kind of glide path creation? Author: Marc Chalupsky, DTI Dr Bogdan Moldoveanu How can dentists create glide paths more easily and efficiently? In the past, dentists used hand in- struments, which is often a laborious and unsafe task and requires multiple stages, particularly when it comes to curved and calcified canals. During the International Dental Show in Cologne this year, German-based endodontic expert VDW intro- duced R-PILOT, the first and only motor-driven glide path instrument with reciprocating motion available. Since its launch, endodontists have called it a major advancement in glide path creation and the first step towards full working length in more difficult cases. R-PILOT is made of nickel-titanium M-wire, which is also used in VDW’s established RECIPROC system. The material has a higher resistance to cy- 52 roots 3 2017 clic fatigue, while being more flexible. For dentists who require additional safety in the formation of a glide path in certain cases, R-PILOT seems to set a new standard in reciprocating glide path manage- ment. Dental Tribune International talked to Dr Bogdan Moldoveanu, an endodontic specialist based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Besides owning a practice specialising in endodontics and leading the educa- tional platform "Endodontie cu pasiune", he also lectures extensively on microscopic endodontics and surgical endodontics at the universities of Cluj- Napoca, Romania, and Turin, Italy, the latter from which he graduated with excellence. Dr Moldoveanu is an expert in mechanical glide path management and has consistently been using R-PILOT since March 2017. In the interview, he gives recommen- dations on the use of reciprocating motion, explains the benefits of mechanical glide path techniques and explains the beauty of endodontics. Dental Tribune: Over 90 per cent of root canal preparations are still conducted with manual glide path management. What are some of the uncertainties that occur when using hand files for glide path creation? Dr Bogdan Moldoveanu: From my perspective, using manual files for the glide path procedure is something that should be done only by an expert and under very specific conditions—mostly retreat- ments. The mechanical glide path procedure has opened up a new dimension, especially for general practitioners, who are now able to perform a diffi- cult procedure in a matter of seconds. Most of the mistakes that occur during the shap- ing phase of the root canal treatment take place during the initial stages of the therapy, namely, when one is managing the glide path. One of the most common mistakes encountered is the im- proper use of instruments and the main causes of