title: An ex vivo comparative analysis on shaping ability of four NiTi rotary endodontic instruments using spiral computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analysis of shaping ability of four different rotary endodontic instruments using spiral computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty freshly extracted human mandibular first molars were used in the present study. Samples were randomly divided into four experimental groups with twenty samples in each group. Images of mesiobuccal canal of each sample were obtained pre- and post-operatively using spiral CT. All samples were prepared using their respective endodontic file systems (group I - ProTaper, group II - K3, group III - RaCe, and group IV - Mtwo). Image analyses were done using image analysis software for evaluation of canal transportation and centering ability. Data was then statistically analyzed using analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significance in transportation in their intergroup difference at any of the three locations (coronal, middle, and apical third). In centering ability there was no statistically significance in the coronal and middle third of the intergroup. However, there was a statistically significance of (P = 0.044) at the apical third between all the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Canals prepared with ProTaper had more canal transportation at all the three levels of root canal (coronal, middle, and apical third). Canals prepared with Mtwo were well centered at coronal and middle third whereas with RaCe canals were centered only at the apical third. All instruments showed some degree of canal aberrations in terms of shaping ability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Buddha Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Kankarbagh, Patna, India.
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maitin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arunagiri
authors.forename: Dexter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brave
authors.forename: Shipra Nangalia
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Maitin
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaushik
authors.forename: Saumya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
keywords: K3; Mtwo; ProTaper; RaCe; shaping ability; spiral computed tomography