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Endodontic practice is not risk-free; a variety of technical accidents can complicate root canal treatment, influencing the prognosis and prejudicing the chances of the success. Fracture of endodontic instruments within root canals is not an uncommon incident in endodontic therapy. The prognosis of such teeth depends upon preoperative condition of periradicular tissues and instrument retrieval. An attempt to remove broken instruments should be undertaken in every case. There have been many different devices and techniques developed to retrieve instruments fractured during endodontic procedures. This report describes a case of broken instrument and its retrieval. During cleaning and shaping procedure while performing root canal treatment with a rotary instrument, the instrument fractured at the junction of middle and apical third of the canal. Two Hedstrom-files were used with 5% NaOCl irrigation and the instrument was retrieved followed by conventional obturation using gutta percha points with lateral compaction method.

Broken instruments, Endodontic failures, Ni Ti instruments