Book excerpt: This book provides clinicians with up-to-date, scientifically based guidance on the most important stages of endodontic treatment, i.e., cleaning and shaping of the root canal space, including mechanical preparation and chemical disinfection. Five internationally recognized experts present and discuss recent developments and new perspectives in the field. Important advances in root canal preparation and irrigation procedures are described with the aid of numerous high-quality illustrations. A key feature of the book is the detailed attention devoted to the latest research findings and to their impact on contemporary evidence-based clinical guidelines and modern clinical practice. On this basis, simple treatment protocols are proposed that take the anatomy of the root canals fully into account. In addition, emerging problems and trends are considered. The book will be an excellent resource for clinicians and advanced practitioners who are seeking to update their practice.