Nickel titanium hand files are used during both routine and complex endodontic treatments. These small files are designed for cleaning and shaping root canals by hand. The nickel titanium material allows the files to bend to the shape of the canal while still providing the resiliency to get the job done. The advantage of using hand files for initial cleaning and shaping is the tactile feedback the clinician gains from actually holding the file. In many cases, these files can be used for initial cleaning and shaping before turning the job over to rotary or reciprocating files. Hand files can then be used for final canal prep before obturation. Hand files can be reused, so durability is a key component. The also should be comfortable to use and clearly color-coded to efficiently indicate the file size during treatment.