Eight Months of Clinical Experience with the Self-Adjusting File System

IntroductionThe Self-Adjusting File (SAF) system (ReDent-Nova, Ra'anana, Israel) has been recently introduced for the simultaneous instrumentation and irrigation of root canals. The SAF is claimed to adapt itself three dimensionally to the root canal, including its cross-section. It is operated with a continuous flow of sodium hypochlorite that is delivered into the root canal through the hollow file and claimed to be activated by sonic agitation of the irrigant. Our aim was to present for the first time clinical cases prepared with the SAF system and to describe a clinical classification of canals, according to their difficulty, with recommendations for endodontic treatment sequences for each category.MethodsThis report is based on the experience of a single endodontist, who used the system to treat more than 50 consecutive primary endodontic cases over the prior 8 months.ResultsA clinical classification was developed which enabled the operator to select a treatment protocol for easy and optimal glide path preparation to be effectively used with the SAF file in the various root canals encountered in the clinical environment.ConclusionsClinical classification of canal difficulty makes root canal treatment sequences with the SAF simple and predictable. Many types of cases can be treated with the SAF system although a novice user is advised to advance slowly along the learning curve from simpler to more complicated canals.