Evaluation of apical canal shapes produced sequentially during instrumentation with stainless steel hand and Ni-Ti rotary instruments using Micro-computed tomography / 대한치과보존학회지

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal master apical file size with minimal transportation and optimal efficiency in removing infected dentin. We evaluated the transportation of the canal center and the change in untouched areas after sequential preparation with a #25 to #40 file using 3 different instruments: stainless steel K-type (SS K-file) hand file, ProFile and LightSpeed using microcomputed tomography (MCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty extracted human mandibular molars with separated orifices and apical foramens on mesial canals were used. Teeth were randomly divided into three groups: SS K-file, Profile, LightSpeed and the root canals were instrumented using corresponding instruments from #20 to #40. All teeth were scanned with MCT before and after instrumentation. Cross section images were used to evaluate canal transportation and untouched area at 1- , 2- , 3- , and 5- mm level from the apex. Data were statistically analyzed according to' repeated nested design'and Mann-Whitney test (p = 0.05). RESULTS: In SS K-file group, canal transportation was significantly increased over #30 instrument. In the ProFile group, canal transportation was significantly increased after preparation with the #40 instrument at the 1- and 2- mm levels. LightSpeed group showed better centering ability than ProFile group after preparation with the #40 instrument at the 1 and 2 mm levels. CONCLUSIONS: SS K-file, Profile, and LightSpeed showed differences in the degree of apical transportation depending on the size of the master apical file.

Effects of anticurvature filing on danger zone width in curved root canals / 대한치과보존학회지

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of anticurvature filing with stainless steel k-file versus nickel-titanium ProFile in the shaping of mesial root canals of extracted mandibular molars. A total of 60 canals from 30 mesial roots of mandibular molar teeth were randomly assigned to three groups with n=20 each. They were prepared with different instruments and methods: The first group with stainless steel k-file and circumferential filing, the second with precurved stainless steel k-file and anticurvature filing and the third with ProFile (.06 taper) and anticurvature filing. Using a micro-computed tomography system (skyscan-1076, SKYSCAN, Antwerpen, Belgium), pre-and post-operative specimens were scanned. Subsequently, canal images were superimposed and changes in root dentin thickness were measured at distal side (danger zone) of the canal. The data was analyzed using a one-way ANOVA and the comparison of means was conducted using a post hoc multiple comparison Tukey test. There were significant differences in the change of root dentin thickness at the 7.5~8.5mm level between group 1 and 2, 3.5~6mm level between group 1 and 3 and 3.5~6mm level between group 2 and 3(n=20, P<0.05).