title: Root canal transportation with a Ni-Ti rotary file system and stainless steel hand files in simulated root canals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the root canal transportation of the crown-down technique performed with the Ni-Ti rotary ProFile system (Dentsply/Maillefer), with the step-back technique using stainless steel K-Flexofiles (Dentsply/Maillefer).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty simulated root canals in resin blocks were equally divided into 2 groups. The first group was instrumented with the ProFile system in a crown-down technique and the second group with hand K-Flexofiles in a step-back technique. After instrumentation, resin blocks of both groups were scanned by a transparency scanner, and the derived images were superimposed with the scanned image of an uninstrumented block. Transportation was digitally calculated by a computer software, and results were statistically evaluated by Student t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant differences (P < .05) were found among the 2 groups at 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 mm from the apical foramen. No statistically significant difference was detected at 3 mm from the apical foramen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ProFile caused less transportation at 1 and 2 mm from the apex, whereas at 3 mm, both instrumentation techniques caused the same transportation. Standard deviation was less in the ProFile group than in the hand file group, indicating a more standardized preparation.
authors: Department of Endodontics, Dental School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. alexis77@cytanet.com.cy
authors: Alexios
authors: A
authors: Loizides
authors: Dimitris
authors: D
authors: Eliopoulos
authors: Evangelos
authors: E
authors: Kontakiotis