| 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. |