Apical root canal transportation and remaining dentin thickness associated with ProTaper Universal with and without PathFile.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare, using digital subtraction radiography, apical transportation in mesiobuccal root canals of extracted human maxillary molars instrumented with ProTaper Universal F3 and F4 files (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) with and without the prior creation of glide paths using the PathFile system and to compare, using cone-beam computed tomographic imaging, remaining dentin thickness (RDT) after complete preparation. METHODS: Forty mesiobuccal roots with curvatures of 20°-35° were used. In group A, glide paths were created with PathFile #1, #2, and #3 to the working length; in group B, no glide paths were used. All canals were instrumented up to F4 to the working length. Digital subtraction radiographic images were obtained in buccolingual and mesiodistal directions. Apical transportation associated with F3 or F4 was calculated based on the difference between the tip of the first and the last instrument analyzed in each group. RDT was calculated based on cone-beam computed tomographic images. RESULTS: Apical transportation was higher after F4 regardless of the use of the PathFile system. No statistically significant differences between groups A and B were observed in apical transportation after instrumentation with F3 or F4 (P > .05). Group A showed greater RDT values at 2 (buccal and mesial walls, P < .05) and 3 mm (buccal and distal walls, P < .05) from the apex but not at 1 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the PathFile system before root canal preparation with ProTaper Universal F3 and F4 did not influence apical transportation but was associated with greater RDTs at 2 and 3 mm from the apex.

Assessment of canal centering ability and topography of three nickel-titanium rotary systems / Avaliação da centralização do preparo e da topografia de três sistemas rotatórios de níquel-titânio

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the canal cen-tering ability and topography of BioRaCeTM (BR), Wi-zard CD PlusTM (WP), and Wizard NavigatorTM (WN) instruments. Materials and method: mesiobuccal roots of upper first molars were selected and randomly dis-tributed in three groups (n=10), according to the rota-ry system used for instrumentation. Canal transporta-tion was assessed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mm from the root apex, by subtracting cone bean computed tomography (CBCT) images taken before and after preparation. The root canal center was marked in pre- and post-prepa-ration images, and the distance between these points was measured in bucco-palatal (BP) and mesio-distal (MD) directions. New instruments were analyzed un-der scanning electron microscopy (SEM) regarding their surface finishing, topographical features, and surface defects. The SEM images were obtained at the tip of the instrument, and at 5 mm from the tip. Data of the canal centering ability were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (? = 0.05). Results: regardless of root level (2, 4, 6, and 8 mm), all groups presented canal transportation in both directions. Significant differences were not detected (p > 0.05). Surface finishing was regular in the BR group with rounded transitional angle. Cutting edges had a sharp angle in BR and WN groups, while WP instru-ments had a flattened angle. Conclusion: despite such topographical differences between the rotary instru-ments tested, none of them were able to exactly main-tain the original root canal center, and no significant differences were observed among groups.

Analysis of apical root transportation associated with ProTaper Universal F3 and F4 instruments by using digital subtraction radiography.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of apical root transportation after the use of ProTaper Universal rotary files sizes 3 (F3) and 4 (F4). METHODS: Instruments were worked to the apex of the original canal, always by the same operator. Digital subtraction radiography images were produced in buccolingual and mesiodistal projections. A total of 25 radiographs were taken from root canals of human maxillary first molars with curvatures varying from 23-31 degrees. Quantitative data were analyzed by intraclass correlation coefficient and Wilcoxon nonparametric test (P = .05). RESULTS: Buccolingual images revealed a significantly higher degree of apical transportation associated with F4 instruments when compared with F3 instruments in relation to the original canal (Wilcoxon test, P = .007). No significant difference was observed in mesiodistal images (P = .492). CONCLUSIONS: F3 instruments should be used with care in curved canals, and F4 instruments should be avoided in apical third preparation of curved canals.

Apical transportation: a comparative evaluation of three root canal instrumentation techniques with three different apical diameters.

This study conducted an in vitro analysis of the level of apical transportation in mesiobuccal roots of upper molars after manual instrumentation with stainless steel files, preparation with the K3 system, and with a reciprocating NSK handpiece. Sixty roots were mounted in muffles and then longitudinally sectioned. A digital image was acquired of the inner surface of one root half. After instrumentation, the inner surfaces of the same root halves were digitized with file sizes #30, #35, and #40. Each image obtained was superimposed over the corresponding preoperative image, and the apical transportation was measured. The Friedman and Wilcoxon tests were used to compare results for the file sizes, and comparison of the groups was made with the Kruskal-Wallis test, demonstrating statistically significant differences (P = .000). The stainless steel file sizes #35 and #40 caused significant apical transportation, and K3 system proved safe for apical preparation, with little deviation.

Canal transportation after root canal instrumentation: a comparative study with computed tomography.

This in vitro study used computed tomography (CT) to compare the occurrence of canal transportation in the apical third of mesiobuccal canals in maxillary molars instrumented with 3 techniques. Sixty teeth were assigned to 3 groups (n = 20), and the root canals were instrumented as follows: Group 1, hand instrumentation with K-files; Group 2, K-files coupled to an oscillatory system powered by an electric engine; Group 3, ProTaper NiTi rotary system powered by an electric engine. To compare the canal transportation produced by the different techniques, preinstrumentation and postinstrumentation 3-dimensional CT images were obtained from root cross-sections of the region located 3 mm short of the apical foramen of each root canal. The CT scans were exported to Adobe Photoshop software, and the initial and final images were superimposed to detect the root canal wall differences between them. Canal transportation was measured by the distance between the prepared canal center and the anatomic canal center. The manual technique produced lesser canal transportation (0.10 mm) than the oscillatory and rotary techniques (0.37 and 0.22 mm, respectively); this difference was statistically significant (P=.021). All studied techniques produced canal transportation.