Endodontics · instrument guide
Rotary files do most of the shaping in modern endodontics, but a root canal treatment still depends on hand instruments at every step: to isolate, locate the canals, measure, fill and seal. This guide follows the treatment step by step and shows the instrument for each one.
The main endodontic hand instruments are the endo explorer (locating canal orifices), hand files (negotiating and shaping), spreaders and pluggers (compacting gutta-percha), locking endo tweezers (paper points and cones) and micro mirrors. A spreader is pointed for lateral condensation; a plugger is flat-ended for vertical compaction.
What are the steps of a root canal treatment?
| Step | What happens | Key instruments |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Diagnosis | Tests and X-rays to confirm the diagnosis | Mirror, explorer, probe |
| 2. Anaesthesia & isolation | Local anaesthetic and rubber dam | Syringe, rubber dam clamp and forceps |
| 3. Access | Opening the pulp chamber | Burs, endo explorer, micro mirror |
| 4. Locating canals | Finding every canal orifice | Endo explorer, micro mirror, magnification |
| 5. Working length | Measuring each canal to the apex | Hand files, apex locator, stoppers, measuring ruler |
| 6. Cleaning & shaping | Shaping with files while irrigating | Hand and rotary files, irrigation syringe |
| 7. Obturation | Filling the canals with gutta-percha and sealer | Endo tweezers, spreaders, pluggers |
| 8. Coronal seal | Sealing the access and restoring the tooth | Filling instruments, pluggers |
Swipe to see the full table →
Access, locate & measure
Finding and measuring the canals
An endodontic explorer is longer and stiffer than a dental explorer, with fine tips at an angle that reach down into the pulp chamber floor.
Root canal explorerEndo explorerLocates canal orifices on the pulp chamber floor.View instrument →
Endo explorerDouble-ended endo explorerTwo angled tips for all canal positions.View instrument →
Microscopic HD mirrorMicro mirrorUltra-thin head for the microscope.View instrument →
Root canal stopperFile stopperMarks the working length on the file.View instrument →
Gutta-percha measuring rulerEndo rulerMeasures files and cones to length.View instrument →
Endodontic file holderFile holderHolds small files safely in the fingers.View instrument →Obturation
Spreader vs plugger: what is the difference?
Both compact gutta-percha, but in different directions.
| Spreader | Plugger | |
|---|---|---|
| Tip | Pointed and tapered | Flat-ended |
| Technique | Lateral condensation: pushes the cone sideways to make room for accessory cones | Vertical compaction: pushes softened gutta-percha down the canal |
| Typical use | Cold lateral condensation | Warm vertical compaction and the final coronal pack |
Endo spreader 1SFinger spreaderLateral condensation of gutta-percha.View instrument →
Plugger 1/2Vertical condenserVertical compaction of warm gutta-percha.View instrument →
Spreader & plugger 0.6/1.0Combination instrumentSpreader one end, plugger the other.View instrument →
Endo plugger, ErgoLiteEndo pluggerOn the economical ErgoLite X handle.View instrument →
Endo tweezer, cross holdLocking tweezerHolds paper points and cones securely.View instrument →
Gutta-percha removerGP removerRetreatment: hooks old gutta-percha out.View instrument →Endodontic file sizes and colours
Hand files (K-files, H-files, reamers) follow the ISO size and colour code: the number is the tip diameter in hundredths of a millimetre.
| ISO size | Colour |
|---|---|
| 06 · 08 · 10 | Pink · grey · purple |
| 15 · 45 · 90 | White |
| 20 · 50 · 100 | Yellow |
| 25 · 55 · 110 | Red |
| 30 · 60 · 120 | Blue |
| 35 · 70 · 130 | Green |
| 40 · 80 · 140 | Black |
Tip: a K-file cuts with a watch-winding or balanced-force motion; an H-file (Hedström) cuts on the pull stroke only and is more aggressive. Keep files organised in a file frame or endo block through cleaning and sterilisation.
Build your endodontic set
Explorers, spreaders, pluggers, tweezers and micro mirrors — plus file frames and bur holders to keep them organised.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What instruments are used in endodontics?
Endo explorers to locate canals, hand and rotary files to shape them, stoppers and rulers for working length, locking endo tweezers for paper points and cones, spreaders and pluggers for obturation, and micro mirrors for work under magnification.
What are the steps of a root canal treatment?
Diagnosis, anaesthesia and rubber dam, access to the pulp chamber, locating the canals, measuring the working length, cleaning and shaping with irrigation, obturation with gutta-percha and sealer, and a coronal seal.
What is the difference between a spreader and a plugger?
A spreader has a pointed, tapered tip and pushes gutta-percha sideways in lateral condensation. A plugger has a flat end and pushes softened gutta-percha down the canal in vertical compaction.
What is an endodontic explorer used for?
Locating canal orifices on the floor of the pulp chamber. It is longer and stiffer than a normal explorer, with fine angled tips.
What do the colours on endodontic files mean?
They follow the ISO code for the tip size: 15 white, 20 yellow, 25 red, 30 blue, 35 green, 40 black, repeating for larger sizes. Sizes 06, 08 and 10 are pink, grey and purple.
