ABSTRACT
AIM: To evaluate the torsional cyclic fatigue characteristics and specifically the endurance limit (EL) of a nickel-titanium rotary instrument. METHODOLOGY: Size 30.06 taper ProFile instruments were evaluated. The equipment was assembled according to the ANSI/ADA Specification No. 28. The motor was programmed to repeatedly rotate to a selected deflection angle (DA) and then return to zero (cycle). Testing started at 200 degrees and was continued at decreasing angles until 10(6) cycles were reached without instrument fracture. Ten instruments were tested at each DA. The mean log number of cycles to fracture and standard deviation were determined for each DA at which fracture occurred. The DA at which 10(6) cycles were reached without instrument fracture corresponded by definition to the EL. Analysis of variance and pairwise comparisons using Duncan's multiple range test were performed to detect significant differences among the mean log number of cycles of the different DA. Significance was determined at the 95% confidence level. RESULTS: Instruments cycled at larger DA consistently demonstrated fewer cycles to fracture than those cycled at smaller DA. The differences among the mean log number of cycles of the different DA were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Cycles of 10(6) were completed without instrument fracture at 2.5 degrees. CONCLUSIONS: A torsional fatigue profile was generated for a specific NiTi rotary instrument. The EL was 2.5 degrees.
