Shaping and filling root canals during root canal re‐treatment

Re‐treatment of primary root canal treatment associated with post‐treatment disease has become an important component of daily endodontic practice. Basically, the management of cases requiring re‐treatment should comply with the general rules of primary root canal treatment namely accurate diagnosis, antiseptic treatment consisting of cleaning and shaping the root canals, followed by effective disinfection, canal filling, and a coronal restoration that prevents re‐infection. Nevertheless, re‐treatment represents a distinct treatment modality of its own, which in several respects differs from primary treatment of teeth with vital or necrotic pulps. The aim of this review is to present current knowledge on root canal preparation and filling during root canal re‐treatment.