Decrease in the fatigue resistance of nickel-titanium rotary instruments after clinical use in curved root canals.
OBJECTIVE
The changes in fatigue resistance of nickel-titanium rotary ProFile instruments after clinical use for shaping 10 curved molar root canals were evaluated in this study.


METHODS
Twenty-five sets of files #20, #25, and #30 and tapers .04 and .06 were divided into 2 groups, one with 10 sets of new files that were tested in a fatigue test bench device as a control. The other, experimental group, with 15 sets of clinically used files, was tested in the same device. The Student t test was employed to compare mean values of the measured parameters.


RESULTS
A statistically significant decrease in the number of cycles to failure was determined for the clinically used files, as compared with the new ones. The fracture point was the same for all files tested.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical use of ProFile instruments for shaping curved canals reduces their fatigue resistance.
Bahia
Maria Guiomar A
MG
Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Buono
Vicente Tadeu Lopes
VT
D019245:Compressive Strength; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003762:Dental Instruments; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D004868:Equipment Failure; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D006801:Humans; D008963:Molar; D009532:Nickel; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014025:Titanium
D003722:Dental Alloys; C040654:titanium nickelide; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium