Elias Pandonor Motcy de Oliveira

In vitro comparative study of manual and mechanical rotary instrumentation of root canals using computed tomography

This in vitro study compared, using computed tomography (CT), the amount of dentin removed from root canal walls by manual and mechanical rotary instrumentation techniques. Forty mandibular incisors with dental crown and a single canal were selected. The teeth were randomly assigned to two groups, according to the technique used for root canal preparation: Group I - manual instrumentation with stainless steel files; Group II - mechanical instrumentation with RaCe rotary nickel-titanium instruments. In each tooth, root dentin thickness of the buccal, lingual, mesial and distal surfaces in the apical, middle and cervical thirds of the canal was measured (in mm) using a multislice CT scanner (Siemens Emotion, Duo). Data were stored in the SPSS v. 11.5 and SigmaPlot 2001 v. 7.101 softwares. After crown opening, working length was determined, root canals were instrumented and new CT scans were taken for assessment of root dentin thickness. Pre- and post-instrumentation data were compared and analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Tukeys post-hoc test for significant differences (p=0.05). Based on the findings of this study, it may be concluded that regarding dentin removal from root canal walls during instrumentation, neither of the techniques can be considered more effective than the other.

Flexibility of K3 and ProTaper universal instruments

This study used a mechanical test to evaluate the flexibility of instruments from the K3 (conicity 0.04) and the ProTaper Universal systems when they were new and after 5 uses in simulated canals. Five sets of instruments of each system were tested: K3 (15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45) and ProTaper Universal (S1, S2, F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5). Each set of instruments was used to prepare a simulated canal and the same set of instruments was used 5 times (50 canals). The number of each subgroup represented the number of uses: 0 (control), 1, 3 and 5 uses. Before and after each use, the instruments were submitted to a mechanical flexibility test performed in a Versat 502 universal testing machine. Interactions between the instrument and the number of uses were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukeys test at a 5% level of significance. Instruments from both systems presented lower flexibility after the third use compared to the flexibility obtained after uses 0 and 1 (p<0.05), and maintained the same flexibility after the fifth use. The flexibility of instruments from the K3 system decreased with the increase of diameter, irrespective of the number of uses. Among the instruments from the ProTaper Universal system, the shaping files presented greater flexibility than the finishing files. F2 and F3 were the least flexible instruments, and F4 and F5 presented flexibility values similar to those of F1.

Influence of calcium hydroxide points on the quality of intracanal dressing filling

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, the quality of calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] paste filling (Ultracal, Ultradent) associated or not with Ca(OH)2-containing gutta-percha points (Calcium Hydroxide Plus Points™, Roeko) in curved root canals. Material and Methods One hundred and twenty roots of extracted human teeth, randomly divided into three curvature ranges (mild - 0 to 14°; moderate - 15° to 29°; severe - >30°) were used. After chemomechanical preparation, the roots were assigned to 4 groups (n=30), according to the technique of intracanal dressing placement: group 1 - Ca(OH)2 paste was applied with a lentulo spiral; group 2 - Ca(OH)2 paste was applied with a lentulo spiral and a Ca(OH)2 point was inserted into the canal; group 3 - Ca(OH)2 paste was applied with a Navitip™ tip (supplied with Ultracal system); group 4 - Ca(OH)2 paste was applied with a Navitip™ tip and a Ca(OH)2 point was inserted into the canal. The roots were cleared and the quality of apical third filling was assessed by a calibrated experienced examiner. The specimens were examined under stereomicroscopy and scored 1 to 4 (i.e., from inadequate to complete root canal filling). The results were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Duncans post hoc test at 5% significance level. Results There were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) among the curvature degrees in groups 1, 3 and 4. Severely curved roots in group 2 presented bordering significance (p=0.05). The groups that associated the use of Ca(OH)2 paste and points (2 and 4) showed better apical filling than the other groups, but this difference was statistically significant (p<0.001) only for roots with severe curvature. Conclusion According to the results of this study, the curvature degree did not influence the quality of filling. The techniques that used Ca(OH)2-containing gutta-percha points yielded better filling of the apical third in roots with severe curvature.