Canal Transportation- A Threat in Endodontics: A Review

Abstract

The basics of root canal preparation are to enlarge the root canal for proper disinfection and to prevent reinfection with the use of irrigation agents. It also facilitates the placement of root canal filling material with proper fluid tight seal. As most root canals are curved, a high prevalence of procedural errors has been reported. Canal transportation is one of the main procedural errors. The position of physiologic terminus of the canal to a new iatrogenic location on the external root surface is transportation of the foramen. Several studies have shown that Ni-Ti instruments demonstrated less canal transportation than stainless steel files. Considerable research has been undertaken to understand the several factors related to canal transportation. In this article, we have discussed the influence of various parameters such as alloys used in the manufacture of instruments, instrument cross-section, tip, taper, and explained about clinical consequences of canal transportation.