The GentleWave® Difference isn’t just in the patient experience—it is proven in post-procedure radiographic examination. The far-reaching capabilities of the GentleWave Procedure can be visualized in the following case study gallery, evidencing its ability to locate and efficiently clean the deepest, most complex portions of the root canal system2,3 that are frequently left untouched by standard root canal therapy.4
4 Paqué F et al. (2010) J Endod. 36:703-7
In a single visit, the cleaning ability of the GentleWave® Procedure revealed crazy anatomy on tooth #19. Patient presented with soreness and pressure around the gum tissue. The tooth was diagnosed with pulpal necrosis and symptomatic apical periodontitis. Following the GentleWave Procedure, the canals were obturated using gutta-percha points and ThermaSeal® Plus Ribbon® Sealer using a warm vertical method.
"In my experience, with standard RCT this case would have been completed with calcium hydroxide in a two-visit protocol. I was expecting to see anatomy but nothing like this."
A 65-year-old female with no clinical symptoms was referred by her dentist, who noticed radiographic signs of bone loss surrounding the roots of her molar. In a single visit, the canals were cleaned and disinfected with the GentleWave Procedure. Eight weeks later, the periodontal reading at the distobuccal root surface measured 2 mm, and periapical imaging revealed extensive bone regeneration. Continued bone regeneration was evident at 3-month, 5-month and 13-month recalls.
Six months post-op, the periradicular bone appeared to have completely healed. The patient resumed active orthodontic treatment. This case illustrates the power of a single-visit GentleWave® Procedure in effectively cleaning and disinfecting the root canal system and promoting rapid healing.
A 41-year-old female patient was referred by her general dentist for evaluation for retreatment of tooth #14. The patient presented with mild swelling of the facial gingival tissues adjacent to #14, and a sinus tract was present. Periodontal probing was within normal limits.
The initial treatment of the tooth 20 years ago missed the mesiopalatal (MB2) canal, causing significant periradicular bone loss. It was remarkable to see the significant bone regeneration at the 4-month recall.
"The GentleWave® Procedure allowed me to perform a retreatment in a single visit, with no reported postoperative discomfort. Especially in today’s environment, single visit appointments are ideal for patients and our practice while having confidence in the clinical outcome."
A female patient presented with tooth sensitivity and pain on biting on tooth #31. In 2003, the patient had two apicoectomies completed on tooth #30 and #31. Tooth #30 had a retrograde prep and fill placed that was still intact. Tooth #31 did not receive a retrograde fill; the mesiobuccal root was resected with a high bevel, and the mesiolingual was never fully resected through. Tooth #31 was diagnosed with symptomatic apical periodontitis. In a single visit, the GentleWave® Procedure cleaned and disinfected the tooth. At the six-month recall, radiographs revealed healing of the bone. The patient reported experiencing no post-op pain immediately following the procedure or in the six months since.
"If I could go back in time, I would elect to have the GentleWave® Procedure completed on my first root canal procedure. For 21 years, I continued to experience discomfort while professionals justified my discomfort through bite adjustments and new crowns, saying that another tooth was to blame. I truly felt this would be a never-ending problem I’d have to deal with. For the first time in 21 years, I feel whole and am no longer experiencing discomfort."
A 40-year-old male presented with severe intermittent pain on the lower left side of the mouth for two months. His diagnosis was pulpal necrosis and symptomatic apical periodontitis. The old filling material and underlying carious lesion were removed and missing tooth structure was restored. The tooth was prepared with conservative straight-line access, and the canals were instrumented to size 20/.07. The GentleWave® Procedure was employed to clean and disinfect the root canal system, followed by obturation with warm vertical technique. Post-procedure, an isthmus was visualized between the two mesial canals, and a lateral canal and an apical delta were seen on the distal canal. Evaluation at 6, 9 and 18 months showed the tooth was asymptomatic. Significant bone regrowth with complete periradicular healing were evident at 18-month recall.
