[Comparative study of shaping ability between rotary ProTaper and Flexofile].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the shaping ability of rotary ProTaper and Flexofile in simulated resin root canals.


METHODS
Forty simulated resin root canals were randomly assigned to two groups, one group for rotary ProTaper with crown-down technique and the other for Flexofile with balanced force technique. Change of working length and incidence of canal aberration and instruments failure were recorded. After preparation, the change of root canal curvature and the amount of resin removed at the inner and outer canal walls were measured with Image Pro Plus 5.0. The centring ability and total amount of resin removed were also assessed.


RESULTS
In the model of simulated resin canals, ProTaper instruments maintained working length better. Canals prepared with ProTaper instruments remained better curvature and showed fewer aberration compared with those prepared with Flexofile (P < 0.01). ProTaper instruments performed a better centring ability.


CONCLUSIONS
ProTaper instruments have a better shaping ability in simulated resin root canals.
Yang
Guo-bin
GB
Key. Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Zheng
Yu-lu
YL
Xu
Wei-qun
WQ
Li
Hao-lai
HL
Wu
Hong-kun
HK
D003722:Dental Alloys; D003762:Dental Instruments; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D009532:Nickel; D018915:Root Canal Preparation; D012390:Root Canal Therapy; D014025:Titanium
D003722:Dental Alloys; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium