C SHAPED CANAL

AND
MANAGEMENT
C Shaped
canal
 C SHAPED
CANAL
The C shaped canal is a special
feature of some lower second
molars.

Approximately 1% of lower
second molars have C-shaped
canals.

The name comes from the

appearance of the pulp chamber
floor when viewed from above.

Some or all of the canal orifices

Good radiographic technique
should alert the practitioner to
unusual anatomy, such as C
shaped canals.

The C shaped canal may have

the appearance of a fused root
with very fine
canals.

A pulp chamber that looks

unusual the dentine areas on
the pulp floor map should give
some idea of the location of root
Melton in 1991 divided the C-shaped
canals into three types.

Type I : The continuous C-shaped

canal

Type II : The semicolon shaped canal

Type III : Two discrete and separate

canals.

He further added that C-shaped canals

could
 CLEANING AND
SHAPING
A 20 Hedstrom file was directed into
the mesial corner and a 40 HedStrom
file was placed into the most distal
aspect of
the canal in order to determine the
apical extension and possible
bifurcation of the C-shaped canal.

A working length radiograph was then

taken.
 CLEANING AND
SHAPING
The root canals were enlarged using H
files with 0.5 % sodium hypochlorite as
the irrigating solution.

A sonic vibratory instrument with # 35

was used to enlarge and flare the
canals. The mesial portions of the C-
shaped canal were fully instrumented
prior to the debridement of the
connecting trough.
 CLEANING AND
SHAPING
The trough was very narrow in the
buccolingual dimension but appeared
to extend the entire length of the C-
shaped canal.
The instrumentation of the trough
was difficult. Hedstrom files #10,
#15 and #20 were used for the
initial enlargement
and the sonic vibratory device with
file
# 20 was used with advantage in the
 CLEANING AND
SHAPING
The final shaping of the canals was
achieved with hand instruments.

The root canals were once more

irrigated with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite
and dried with sterile paper points.

Standardized gutta-percha cones of

corresponding widths were selected.
 MASTER CONES
PLACEMENT
To ensure proper placement of the
master cones within the C-shaped
canal, a large diameter file was placed
into the most distal portion of the
canal.

The master cone for the mesial

portion was then coated with sealer
and guided into place.

The file was removed without

dislodging the mesial master cone and
Additional accessory gutta-percha
cones were coated with sealer and
inserted into the middle portion of
the C-shaped canal.

A mid-obturation radiograph was

taken. This revealed the presence
of root canal sealer and gutta-
percha between the mesial and
distal aspects of the C-shaped
canal.
Warm Lateral Condensation

A heated instrument is introduced into

a tooth already obturated by lateral
condensation to soften the gutta-
percha mass and enhance adaptation
to the internal anatomy of the canal.

This technique is useful to increase the

adaptation and density of teeth
obturated with lateral condensation, it
is especially indicated for C-shaped
canals
 REFERENCE
S

CASE HISTORY
Frederic Barnett D.M.Q,
University of Pennsyivania,

Endodontics Problem-Solving in
Clinical Practice
TR Pitt Ford, BDS, PhD, FDS RCPS
JS Rhodes, BDS, MSc, MRD RCS,
MFGDP
THANK YOU ALL