A basic pack of instruments must be available specifically for routine root canal procedures. An example is given in Figure 1. A front surface reflecting mouth mirror is preferable to prevent the double image of the fine detail in an access cavity that occurs with a conventional mirror. Endolocking tweezers allow small items to be gripped safely and passed between nurse and operator. A DG16 endodontic probe is required to detect canal orifices. The excavator is long shanked, with a small blade to allow access into the pulp chamber. The pocket-measuring probe is useful, a routine CPITN probe with clearly visible gradations is ideal. A furcation probe is useful to check for the presence of furcation involvement. Other items usually included are a flat plastic, sterile cotton wool rolls, sterile cotton wool pledgets, artery forceps to grip a periapical radiograph and a metal ruler, or other measuring device that may be sterilized. A clean-stand or other device such as the endoring is required to hold the endodontic instruments. Paper points are also required, and the simplest method of storage and use is to purchase presterilized packs with five points in each pack.
These instruments should be sterile when treatment commences, and every possible effort must be made to avoid contamination. Few practices will have an autoclave sufficiently large to take a metal tray with a lid that may contain an entire set of sterile instruments. If an open tray system is used, as illustrated in Figure 1, it is useful to have all endodontic instruments in sterilized containers, such as the clean stand or endodontic ring shown in Figure 2. This allows the instruments to be easily controlled, and accessed by both the operator and assistant during treatment.