Effect of apical constriction diameter, irrigant flow rate, and needle tip design on apical pressure / 대한치과재료학회지

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of apical constriction (AC) diameter, irrigant flow rate, and needle tip design on apical pressure (AP) during the root canal irrigation. Five extracted human mandibular premolars were instrumented up to #35 (0.06 taper) using nickel-titanium rotary instruments. AC was determined at 1 mm from the apical foramen. Three needles with different tip designs (notched, side-vented, and flat) were placed 3 mm from AC. APs were measured with varying flow rates of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mL/s. The AC diameter of the teeth was enlarged to #40 and #45 (0.06 taper) successively, and the aforementioned measurement procedure was repeated (n=5). When the other conditions were controlled, AP increased with decreasing AC diameter or increasing irrigant flow rate, and the AP of flat needle was the highest, followed by notched, and side-vented needle (p0.35 mm, open-end (notched or flat) needles can be used to improve irrigant replacement in the apical portion using a flow rate of 0.05 mL/s.

Effect of needle tip design and position, and irrigant flow rate on apical pressure / 대한치과재료학회지

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of needle tip design and position, and irrigant flow rate on apical pressure (AP) during root canal irrigation. Five human mandibular premolars were instrumented up to #35 (0.06 taper) using nickel-titanium rotary instruments. Three different needles according to change of needle tip design (notched, side-vented, and flat) were positioned at the point of 1, 3, and 5 mm from the apical constriction (needle tip position). For each needle tip design and position, APs were measured with varying flow rates of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 ml/s. When the other conditions were controlled, AP increased with decreasing needle tip position or increasing irrigant flow rate (p < 0.05). The AP of flat needle was the highest, followed by notched, side-vented needle for the same needle tip position and irrigant flow rate. The APs at needle tip position of 1 mm or with more than 0.1 ml/s flow rate were higher than central venous pressure (5.88 mmHg) for all conditions. Flat needle was not recommended for clinical use due to sharp increase of AP with changing needle tip position and irrigant flow rate. For safe and effective root canal irrigation, irrigant should be applied with the needle tip position of 3 mm and flow rate of less than 0.05 ml/s.

Effect of ultrasonic tip designs on intraradicular post removal

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of different ultrasonic tip designs on intraradicular post removal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The crowns of forty human canine teeth were removed, and after biomechanical preparation and filling, the roots were embedded in acrylic resin blocks. The post spaces were made, and root canal molding was performed with self-cured acrylic resin. After casting (Cu-Al), the posts were cemented with zinc phosphate cement. The specimens were randomly separated into 4 groups (n = 10), as follows: G1 - no ultrasonic vibration (control); G2 - ultrasonic vibration using an elongated cylindrical-shaped and active rounded tip; G3 - ultrasonic vibration with a flattened convex and linear active tip; G4 - ultrasonic vibration with active semicircular tapered tip. Ultrasonic vibration was applied for 15 seconds on each post surface and tensile test was performed in a Universal Testing Machine (Instron 4444 - 1 mm/min). RESULTS: G4 presented the highest mean values, however, with no statistically significant difference in comparison to G3 (P > 0.05). G2 presented the lowest mean values with statistically significant difference to G3 and G4 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonic vibration with elongated cylindrical-shaped and active rounded tip was most effective in reducing force required for intraradicular post removal.