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40 I I industry report _ Calamus Dual 3D Obturation System _Virtually all dentists are intrigued by endo- dontic post-treatment radiographs exhibiting filled accessory canals. Filling root-canal systems repre- sents the culmination and successful fulfilment of a series of procedural steps that comprise start-to- finish endodontics (Fig. 1). Although the excitement associated with the so-called thrill-of-the-fill is understandable, scientific evidence should support this enthusiasm. Moving heat-softened obturation materials into all aspects of the anatomy is depend- ent on eliminating pulpal tissue, the smear layer and related debris, and bacteria and their by-products, when present. In order to maximise obturation potential,clinicianswouldbewisetodirecttreatment efforts toward shaping canals and cleaning root- canal systems.1 Shaping facilitates 3-D cleaning by removing restrictive dentine, allowing a more effective volume of irrigant to penetrate, circulate and potentially cleanintoallaspectsoftheroot-canalsystem(Fig.2). Well-shaped canals result in a tapered preparation that serves to control and limit the movement of warm gutta-percha during obturation procedures. Importantly, shaping also facilitates 3-D obturation byallowingpre-fitpluggerstoworkdeeplyandunre- strictedbydentinalwallsandmovethermo-softened obturation materials into all aspects of the root- canalsystem.Improvementinobturationpotentialis largely attributable to the extraordinary technolo- gical advancements in shaping canals and cleaning and filling root-canal systems.2,3 This article features the new Calamus Dual 3D Obturation System (DENTSPLY Maillefer; Fig. 3) that may be used to fill root-canal systems. Schilder describedtheclassicverticalcondensationtechnique morethanfortyyearsago.4 Overtime,afewdifferent, yet similar, warm gutta-percha techniques have evolved. The purpose of this article is to describe the Calamus Dual 3D Obturation System and the Fig. 1_A post-op film of a mandibular first molar demonstrates the importance of shaping canals and cleaning and filling root-canal systems. Fig. 2_This animation supports the scientific evidence that shaped canals enhance the active exchange of irrigant into all aspects of the root-canal system. Fig. 3_The Calamus Dual 3D Obturation System combines a Pack handpiece for down-packing with the Flow handpiece for back-packing. roots1_2011 Filling root-canal systems— The Calamus 3D Obturation Technique Author_ Dr Clifford J. Ruddle, USA Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 1