Use of Hedstrom file for removal of fractured root tips.

The foregoing case report describes a procedure that can be used to remove newly fractured roots. It is recommended that a Hedstrom file be used in cases in which the roots are loosened before they are fractured and provided that proper visibility and sufficient space in the root canal in which to introduce the file exist. This method, used alone or in combination with closed or open procedures, can be helpful for removing roots that are close to the maxillary sinus or mandibular canal. In the aforementioned case, the Hedstrom file's being threaded into the root tip was a safeguard against pushing the root tips into the surrounding anatomic structures. A method of using a Hedstrom file has been described for the removal of newly fractured root tips. If conditions are adequate, this method is simple and effective.