Show Notes
Is rotary really better than reciprocating? Can you safely skip the glide path with modern reciprocating systems? What is the best file system for a GDP who wants predictable endodontic results? And perhaps the biggest question of all: does the file system matter as much as we think it does? In Part 2 of the Endo Showdown, Dr Samuel Johnson returns to tackle some of the most common questions dentists have about file systems, glide path preparation, retreatment, and endodontic workflow. From practical negotiation tips to choosing a system that works in your hands, this episode focuses on the decisions that can make endodontics simpler, safer, and more predictable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onZMR-872HQ Watch PDP271 on YouTube Protrusive Dental Pearl Cut your gutta-percha at the level of the canal orifice and thoroughly clean the pulp chamber before placing the coronal restoration. ⚠️ Leaving gutta-percha and sealer coronally can compromise the coronal seal and promote leakage. ✅ Use isopropyl alcohol to clean resin-based sealer residue before bonding. Water is effective for cleaning bioceramic sealers. Key Takeaways Establish a glide path before shaping whenever possible. D-Finders can negotiate difficult canals more predictably than traditional K-files. Intermediate files such as size 12 or 12.5 can help bridge the jump from size 10 to size 15. Straight-line access reduces file binding and improves shaping efficiency. Avoid forcing glide path files to working length. Gates Glidden drills may be unnecessarily aggressive for routine coronal flaring. Consistency with one file system is often more important than chasing the latest product. WaveOne Gold remains a simple and user-friendly option for many GDPs. Rotary and reciprocating systems can both achieve successful outcomes when used appropriately. A good glide path is often more important than the type of motion being used. Hand files and Hedström files remain valuable during retreatment. Mechanical GP removal near the apex increases the risk of extrusion. Solvents are best reserved for residual gutta-percha rather than used at the start of retreatment. Understanding motor settings, torque, and RPM improves file safety and efficiency. Knowing when to refer is a sign of clinical maturity, not weakness. Clear consent and expectation management reduce stress for both clinician and patient. Highlights of this episode: 00:00 Teaser 01:09 Introduction 02:15 Protrusive Dental Pearl: Coronal GP Removal & Pulp Chamber Clean-Up 03:59 Glide Path File Protocol & Canal Negotiation 06:24 Access Cavity Design & Coronal Flaring in RCT 08:38 File Taper & Canal Preparation Philosophy 09:54 Managing Difficult Canals in Endodontic Treatment 11:48 When to Introduce the Glide Path File 13:24 Using Intermediate File Sizes 15:39 Useful Negotiation & Shaping Tips 17:19 Choosing a File System 20:19 Rotary vs Reciprocating in Clinical Practice 21:29 Motor Settings & File Control 21:40 XP-Endo & Specialised File Designs 22:05 Endo Motor Ads 24:44 XP-Endo & Specialised File Designs 25:16 Retreatment Files & GP Removal 26:08 Preferred Gutta-Percha Removal 31:21 Recommended System for Simplicity 32: 44 Building Skills Faster in Endodontics 36:13 Consent & Managing Expectations 41:51 Reciproc vs WaveOne Gold 42:22 Preferred Retreatment Protocol 43:33 Using Rotary Files in Reciprocation 45:12 Curved Canals & Shaping Efficiency 46:32 Can Reciproc Blue Bypass the Glide Path? 49:29 Outro Want more? Check out the previous episode with Dr. Samuel Johnson: Working Lengths and Troubleshooting Apex Locators – PDP216 🦷 Looking for an endomotor? Upgrade your endodontic workflow with the Woodpecker Endo Radar Pro. Head to protrusive.co.uk/endomotor and use coupon code PROTRUSIVE at checkout to claim an exclusive discount and your choice of complimentary file system. 🎁 Subscribe to Dr. Samuel Johnson’s amazing YouTube Channel: I Love The Pulp for more helpful endodontics tips and tricks. #PDPMainEpisodes #EndoRe
More from Protrusive Dental Podcast
Is your diary running you — booked weeks ahead, no white space, drowning by Thursday? Do you really have to specialise to get referrals? How does an associate negotiate a month off every August — and get a yes? And what changes when you start treating yourself as your most important instrument? This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Dr Ronit Patel — a Richmond GDP of 20-odd years, an associate at the White House Dental Clinic in Kew, and one of the nicest and geekiest members of the Protrusive community. He works three and a half days a week, takes Wednesdays off, and typically takes the whole of August off. This episode is how he got there: staying a generalist when specialising beckoned, buying a microscope he wasn’t allowed to see, building a referral book without social media, and — the big one — taking control of the diary. It’s a warm, reflective conversation rather than a technique masterclass, and Ronit is refreshingly honest that it hasn’t always been smooth. Part 2 goes into fuel versus friction: what fills you, and what drains you.
Ever felt like being a good clinician is just the entry fee? Have you got an idea you’ve been sitting on — and no one telling you to go for it? Practice ownership, a side business, or staying a happy associate: how do you know which is right for you? And when you tell a patient the fee… do you stay silent, or start talking? This is an Interference Cast — a non-clinical episode designed purely to inspire. My guest, Dr Jawad Abbas, is a young associate who’s already building two ventures alongside his clinical work: an AI tool for radiographic analysis and treatment-plan communication, and a luxury oral-care brand. We start with the communication skills that turn patient trust into comprehensive care — then dig into what it really takes to build something of your own, and whether you even should. We’re living through a moment where, if you can think it, you can increasingly build it. If there’s a big enough problem out there and you have a good solution for it, this episode might be the spark you needed.
Beyond Scaling: How to Get More From Your Ultrasonic
Would you dare promise patients a refund if they felt any pain? Why do so many of us still skip topical — and what does that say to the patient in the chair? How do you take the sting out of an inferior alveolar nerve block, a palatal, or a screaming hot pulp? And when the lip is numb but the patient still feels it — what went wrong before you even picked up the handpiece? My guest is Dr Nigel Kennedy, known to his Brighton patients as “No Pain Nigel” — a dentist who backed his injections with a money-back guarantee, and who has recently retired. Fair warning: there is no revolutionary technique or new anaesthetic agent in this episode. It is the foundations of painless anaesthesia, done properly and done every time — a great reminder of the why for experienced colleagues, and an aspirational one for younger dentists. We finish on something bigger: how to stay calm, stay well, and enjoy a long career in dentistry.
When a filling doesn’t go to plan, how many times do you replay it on the drive home? Have you fallen out of love with dentistry — or just with the way you’re experiencing it right now? Why do the habits that could help your headspace get forgotten by Wednesday? And when did you last ask yourself: have my thoughts been serving me today?