Clinical Practice Guidelines on Sterilization of Endodontic Instruments

Diseases are transmitted by indirect contact when contaminated dental instruments of one patient are reused for another patient without adequate sterilization or disinfection between uses. The process of sterilization is designed to render instruments free of all microbial life and bacterial spores, which can be very difficult to kill. Resterilization of dental instruments for use on another patient happens regularly in all dental practices. Resterilization is simply the repeated application of a sterilization procedure to an instrument or device to remove contamination, allowing for its use in treating multiple patients. Endodontic files and dental burs are commonly treated in this way. It is important to ensure sterility and minimize any associated risk of crosscontamination of patients with dangerous pathogens. Clinical Practice Guidelines are useful for delivering the best care possible in an efficient manner.