A History of Proven Efficacy

The patient presented with dull, aching pain on the upper right side of her mouth. Tooth #5 wasn’t responsive to cold and had sensitivity to percussion. A CBCT scan revealed periapical pathology. In a single visit and with conservative preparation, the GentleWave^® Procedure cleaned and disinfected the root canal system. Post-op images revealed complex anatomy, including lateral canals corresponding with the pathology seen on the CBCT scan.

“Before adopting the GentleWave^® Procedure, I often wouldn’t see lateral canals; this case makes me feel good in knowing that I cleaned all the complexities of the root canal system.”

In a single visit, the GentleWave^® Procedure was able to effectively clean and disinfect this upper-right first molar. The tooth was diagnosed with pulp necrosis and symptomatic apical periodontitis. The mesiobuccal and distobuccal canals were shaped to a 20/.04. I was unable to reach the apical third of the palatal canal with files. Post GentleWave Procedure and obturation, this unreachable anatomy was revealed.

"In my experience, without the cleaning ability of the GentleWave^® Procedure, standard RCT wouldn’t have allowed me to obtain the same result, particularly in the palatal canal."

A 74-year-old male presented with intense pain and buccal swelling on tooth #30. His general dentist prescribed antibiotics. Upon examination, buccal swelling remained, and his pain had decreased from severe to moderate. The tooth was nonresponsive to cold and sensitive to percussion. The diagnosis was necrotic pulp with acute apical abscess.

"In a single visit, the GentleWave^® Procedure thoroughly cleaned the three mesial canals with three separate exits and multiple distal canal paths which joined into a common exit. Furthermore, the furcal bone loss seen in the radiographs might have misled us into suspecting a cracked tooth. Instead, we saw how the lateral canal on the mesial surface of the distal root caused this furcation radiolucency, thereby avoiding condemning this tooth to a potentially unnecessary extraction."

In a single visit, canals were prepared using two rotary files to a final apical diameter of #20, then followed by the Gentlewave^® Procedure. After obturation, radiographic examination revealed at least two uninstrumented inter-canal isthmi and a lateral canal. At the 6-month recall, radiographs revealed that the GentleWave^® Procedure resulted in healing of apical periodontitis.

A 65-year-old female with no clinical symptoms was referred by her dentist, who noticed radiographic signs of bone loss surrounding the roots of her molar. In a single visit, the canals were cleaned and disinfected with the GentleWave Procedure. Eight weeks later, the periodontal reading at the distobuccal root surface measured 2 mm, and periapical imaging revealed extensive bone regeneration. Continued bone regeneration was evident at 3-month, 5-month and 13-month recalls.

A tooth’s survivability is greatly reduced when there’s a crack at or near the level of its roots. In this case, tooth #31 was cracked with a diagnosis of pulpal necrosis and symptomatic apical periodontitis. Initial recommendation was tooth extraction, but the patient’s preference was to save the tooth. The GentleWave® Procedure was our best approach to preserve as much of the remaining structural integrity of the root. In a single visit and with minimal instrumentation, the GentleWave Procedure thoroughly cleaned and disinfected the root canal system to promote tooth healing.

"With minimal instrumentation, I was able to depend on the GentleWave® Procedure to thoroughly disinfect the root canal system. And for healing to occur in the presence of a crack is even more impressive."

At 6-month recall, the results are impressive. The patient is asymptomatic and showing excellent healing.