Effects of four instruments on coronal pre-enlargement by using cone beam computed tomography.
BACKGROUND
This ex vivo study used cone beam computed tomography to evaluate the amount of dentin removal from the distal wall of the mesial canal of human mandibular first molars caused by 4 instruments used to flare the cervical third.


METHODS
Thirty-two mesial roots were divided into 4 groups prepared by using ProTaper, K3, Gates-Glidden, or LA Axxess. The dentin thickness of the distal cervical wall of mesial canals was measured before and after the preparation by using computed tomography and Adobe Photoshop software.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference between the study groups (P > 05).


CONCLUSIONS
All the instruments used for cervical preparation seemed to be safe and did not damage the dentin structure of the distal wall of mesial root canals of mandibular molars.
Sanfelice
Cintia Mussoline
CM
School of Dentistry, Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UNICSUL), Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil.
da Costa
Fernanda Botega
FB
Reis Só
Marcus Vinícius
MV
Vier-Pelisser
Fabiana
F
Souza Bier
Carlos Alexandre
CA
Grecca
Fabiana Soares
FS
D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003762:Dental Instruments; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008963:Molar; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019237:Tooth Cervix