Evaluation of Centering Ability of Four Thermally Treated Nickel Titanium Rotary Files For Root Canal Preparation In Moderately Curved Root Canals: An Invitro Cone Beam Computed Tomography Assessment

ABSTRACT

ackground The ability of an endodontic rotary file to stay centered in the curved root canal system is one of the most important aspects of shaping of root canal as it influences the outcome of the subsequent phases of irrigation, disinfection, obturation and overall success of root canal treatment. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate root canal centering ability of four thermally treated rotary nickel titanium (NiTi) instrument systems (ProTaper NEXT, ProTaper Gold, Dia-X Files and Neoendo Flex Files) on extracted human teeth. Methods:Forty eight separate mesial root canals from extracted mature mandibular first molars identified with having apical curvature angles of 20°–35° were selected. A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed and canals were randomly divided into 4 groups of 12 teeth each. Group 1 ProTaper Gold (PTG) rotary files, Group 2 ProTaper NEXT (PTN) rotary files, Group 3 Dia-X (D-X) Rotary Files and Group 4 Neoendo Flex (NE) rotary Files. Root canal instrumentation was performed with all the four NiTi rotary files. Post instrumentation CBCT was performed. Root canal centering ratios were assessed by a standardized technique for individual groups at 9, 6 and 3mm levels of root canals. Results: ProTaper Gold files and Dia-X files resulted in significantly better canal centering ability than the Neoendo files and ProTaper NEXT files. (P<0.05). Conclusion: ProTaper Gold files and Dia-X files exhibited better centering ability than Neoendo files and ProTaper NEXT files at all levels of the root canal.