title: Evaluation of Root Canal Preparation Using Rotary System and Hand Instruments Assessed by Micro-Computed Tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complete mechanical preparation of the root canal system is rarely achieved. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the root canal shaping efficacy of ProTaper rotary files and standard stainless steel K-files using micro-computed tomography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty extracted upper second premolars were selected and divided into 2 groups of 30 teeth each. Before preparation, all samples were scanned by micro-computed tomography. Thirty teeth were prepared with the ProTaper system and the other 30 with stainless steel files. After preparation, the untouched surface and root canal straightening were evaluated with micro-computed tomography. The percentage of untouched root canal surface was calculated in the coronal, middle, and apical parts of the canal. We also calculated straightening of the canal after root canal preparation. Results from the 2 groups were statistically compared using the Minitab statistical package.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ProTaper rotary files left less untouched root canal surface compared with manual preparation in coronal, middle, and apical sector (p<0.001). Similarly, there was a statistically significant difference in root canal straightening after preparation between the techniques (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neither manual nor rotary techniques completely prepared the root canal, and both techniques caused slight straightening of the root canal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Pathology and Endodontics, University of Prishtina, Faculty of Medicine, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Miranda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stavileci
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Pathology and Endodontics, University of Prishtina, Faculty of Medicine, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Veton
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hoxha
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Dentistry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ömer
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Görduysus
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilkan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tatar
authors.affiliation: Bruker-microCT, Kontich, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Laperre
authors.affiliation: Bruker-microCT, Kontich, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hostens
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Dentistry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Küçükkaya
authors.affiliation: Lecturer of Statistics, American University in Kosovo (A.U.K.), Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Edmond
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muhaxheri
mesh_terms: D001641:Bicuspid / Q000473:pathology; D003762:Dental Instruments; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000379:methods*