Sometimes I feel like I get all of the calcified cases out there.  And you know what that means? It means that I use up and ruin all of my hand files, and that’s just not fair!  Just kidding, but this overuse of files has made me crafty and resourceful. So, I want to share with you a quick tip on what I do to my C files when they bend on me in a calcified case, so that I get the most bang for my buck.

So this is what my file looks like after I use it in a calcified case…

When it gets bent like this it pains me to throw it out, so instead I cut it and use it again….

In the end it looks like this…

Keep in mind that when you do this the tip size will change, now this former 8C file is really a 10 or maybe a 12.  The tip is now more aggressive in cutting and engages the walls a bit more, removing more dentin in the area.  It opens the canal a bit more coronally so that when I introduce another 8C file, that file goes another millimeter further.

So, try this little tip and see if it helps you in calcified cases so that you have less crunched up hand files in your cup at the end of the day.  Hope this helps and brings a smile to your day!

-Sonia