title: Properties of endodontic hand instruments used in rotary motion. Part 3. Resistance to bending and fracture.
abstract: Bending and torsional properties of 24 different types of nickel-titanium K-files, titanium-aluminium K-files and reamers, conventional stainless steel K-files and reamers, and flexible stainless steel instruments were investigated corresponding to ISO 3630-1 by determination of the bending moment on the one hand and the torque and angular deflection on the other. Numbers 15, 25, and 35 instruments were tested with a sample size of 10 instruments for each type and size. In ascending order of bending moment the instruments ranked: nickel-titanium K-files, titanium-aluminium K-files and reamers, flexible stainless steel instruments, conventional stainless steel K-files, and reamers. Nickel-titanium, titanium aluminium, and flexible stainless steel instruments displayed lower torque values than conventional stainless steel K-files and reamers. The average angular deflection ranged from 380 degrees (#15 reamer) to 2370 degrees (#35 K-file). Overall, the fracture risk of the instruments tested in this study was comparably low.
authors.affiliation: Poliklinik für Zahnerhaltung A, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tepel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hoppe
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D003755:Dental High-Speed Technique / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003762:Dental Instruments; D004868:Equipment Failure; D008422:Materials Testing; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry; D018583:Pliability; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012399:Rotation; D013193:Stainless Steel / Q000737:chemistry; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D019415:Torque
chemical_list: D003722:Dental Alloys; C040654:titanium nickelide; D013193:Stainless Steel; D009532:Nickel; D000535:Aluminum; D014025:Titanium