A Review of In Vitro Evaluation of Shaping Ability Assessment Techniques-An Evolution from Past to Present.

The ideal preparation for a root canal is a continuously tapered funnel shape with the smallest diameter at the apex and the widest diameter at the canal orifice. The main parameters used to evaluate a technique or an instrument which has been developed for root canal preparation should be ‘shaping the root canal whilst protecting the curvature of the canal’. Various methods have been proposed for evaluation of shaping ability of instruments. A reliable standardization and proper methodology is necessary for proper positioning of samples for obtaining images before and after root canal preparation. All techniques have their own benefits and limitations.