A finely tapered, smooth-surfaced, flexible hand instrument used to laterally condense gutta-percha points during root canal therapy. The finger spreader is inserted between the canal wall and the gutta-percha point; after removal, a standardized accessory point coated with sealer is inserted into the residual space. Endodontic spreaders are metal instruments used for packing root canal fill material to the sides of a canal in order to make room for additional material. These instruments can be handheld or machine-driven, but they should always be tapered to fit the canal and properly sterilized for use.
