title: Relationship between file size and stiffness of stainless steel instruments.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship existing between file size and stiffness for three endodontic files of different cross-sections. Three groups of instruments were tested: Flexofiles from the Maillefer company, K Files and K-Flex from the Kerr company. Flexofiles have a triangular cross-section, K Files a square cross-section, and K-Flex instruments a rhombus cross-section from size 15 to size 40. For each group, 10 files from size 15 to size 40 were compared according to ANSI/ADA specification N degrees 28 for bending moment evaluation. There was a statistical difference between the three groups: the square cross-section K files presented a larger bending moment than the rhombus cross-section K Flex, which presented a higher bending moment than the triangular cross-section Flexofiles. There was an exponential relationship between file size and bending moment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics, University of Marseille, France.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Camps
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Pertot
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004548:Elasticity; D004867:Equipment Design; D008422:Materials Testing; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013193:Stainless Steel; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D013193:Stainless Steel