The GentleWave® Difference isn’t just in the patient experience—it is proven in post-procedure radiographic examination. The far-reaching capabilities of the GentleWave Procedure can be visualized in the following case study gallery, evidencing its ability to locate and efficiently clean the deepest, most complex portions of the root canal system2,3 that are frequently left untouched by standard root canal therapy.4
4 Paqué F et al. (2010) J Endod. 36:703-7
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."
A patient presented with pain to biting on the lower right. The PA showed periapical pathology on tooth #30. During examination, the tooth tested positive to percussion, negative to palpation and did not respond to cold (Endo-Ice®). According to the patient, the crown was placed less than one year ago. Diagnosis was confirmed as necrotic pulp with symptomatic periapical periodontitis.
In a single visit, the GentleWave® Procedure thoroughly cleaned the canals and provided visible evidence that the very intricate accessory anatomy of the canal system was cleaned and obturated.
“In my experience, traditional RCT treatment wouldn’t have come close to this result.”
In a single visit, the cleaning ability of the GentleWave® Procedure revealed crazy anatomy on tooth #19. Patient presented with soreness and pressure around the gum tissue. The tooth was diagnosed with pulpal necrosis and symptomatic apical periodontitis. Following the GentleWave Procedure, the canals were obturated using gutta-percha points and ThermaSeal® Plus Ribbon® Sealer using a warm vertical method.
"In my experience, with standard RCT this case would have been completed with calcium hydroxide in a two-visit protocol. I was expecting to see anatomy but nothing like this."
This patient’s first molar, diagnosed with necrotic pulp with symptomatic apical periodontitis, was cleaned and disinfected with the GentleWave® Procedure in a single visit. Post-GentleWave Procedure, intricate apical anatomy with at least eight visible portals of exit was revealed.
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.
A mandibular right second molar with a large carious lesion invading the pulpal space was treated with the GentleWave® System. The entire root canal system including the lateral canal was cleaned and obturated.
