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This study examined used, discarded rotary nickel-titanium instruments obtained from 14 endodontists in four countries, and identified factors that may influence defects produced during clinical use. A total of 7,159 instruments were examined for the presence of defects. Unwinding occurred in 12% of instruments and fractures in 5% (1.5% torsional, 3.5% flexural). The defect rates varied significantly among endodontists. Instrument design factors also influenced defect rate, but to a lesser extent. The mean number of uses of instruments with and without defects was 3.3 +/- 1.8 (range: 1-10), and 4.5 +/- 2.0 (range: 1-16), respectively. The most important influence on defect rates was the operator, which may be related to clinical skill or a conscious decision to use instruments a specified number of times or until defects were evident.

Adoption of rotary nickel-titanium instruments has renewed concerns regarding instrument fracture and its consequences. The frequency of instrument fracture and its impact on treatment outcome were determined from an analysis of specialist endodontic practice records involving 8460 cases. A case-control study of treatment outcomes was conducted on a subset of 146 teeth with a retained instrument fragment (plus 146 matched controls), for which clinical and radiographic follow-up of at least 1 year was available. Masked radiographs were assessed by two calibrated examiners. Overall prevalence of retained fractured instruments was 3.3% of treated teeth. In the case-control study, overall healing rates were 91.8% for cases with a fractured instrument and 94.5% for matched controls (p Ͼ 0.05, Fisher's exact test). Healing in both groups was lower in teeth with a preoperative periapical radiolucency (86.7% versus 92.9%, p Ͼ 0.05). In the hands of skilled endodontists prognosis was not significantly affected by the presence of a retained fractured instrument.

Compelling evidence indicating a significantly different prevalence of postoperative pain/flare-up of either single- or multiple-visit root canal treatment is lacking.

Weis MV, Parashos P, Messer HH. Effect of obturation technique on sealer cement thickness and dentinal tubule penetration. International Endodontic Journal, 37, 653-663, 2004. Aim To compare the average sealer cement film thickness and the extent and pattern of sealer penetration into dentinal tubules in association with four obturation techniques in curved root canals. Methodology Mesial canals of 44 extracted mandibular molars were randomly divided among the SimpliFill, continuous wave, Thermafil and 0.04 matched taper (master cones) lateral compaction obturation groups (22 canals per group). AH26 sealer cement was coloured blue-black using Sudan Black B dye. Roots were sectioned 1, 3 and 5 mm from the working length. Specimens were photographed under 25· magnification, mounted as 35 mm slides and projected. Average sealer cement thickness (measured at 10 points around the canal wall), depth of dentinal tubule penetration and frequency of voids were determined at the 1, 3 and 5 mm levels. Data were analysed statistically for effect of obturation technique and level of section on sealer thickness and on the depth and distribution of tubule penetration.Results Thermafil demonstrated superior GP adaptation at all levels with a mean overall sealer cement thickness of 2.2 lm, followed by lateral compaction (11.1 lm), continuous wave (12.2 lm) and SimpliFill (47.6 lm). SimpliFill also demonstrated the highest frequency of voids (P < 0.05). Sealer cement penetrated dentinal tubules as far as the outer one-third of dentine, with greater penetration observed buccally or lingually (P < 0.001). Penetration was not significantly affected by obturation technique, but on average was deeper and more frequent at the 3 and 5 mm levels than at the 1 mm level (P < 0.001). Conclusions Sealer thickness was strongly dependent on obturation technique. Assuming that minimal sealer thickness and fewer voids are good measures of long-term sealing ability, Thermafil resulted in the best outcome. Consistent, extensive sealer penetration into dentinal tubules was seen and was unrelated to the obturation technique.

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Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is a calcium silicate-based cement (CSC) commonly used in endodontic procedures involving pulpal regeneration and hard tissue repair, such as pulp capping, pulpotomy, apexogenesis, apexification, perforation repair, and root-end filling. Despite the superior laboratory and clinical performance of MTA in comparison with previous endodontic repair cements, such as Ca(OH) , MTA has poor handling properties and a long setting time. New CSC have been commercially launched and marketed to overcome the limitations of MTA. The aim of the present review was to explore the available literature on new CSC products, and to give evidence-based recommendations for the clinical use of these materials. Within the limitations of the available data in the literature regarding the properties and performance of the new CSC, the newer products could be promising alternatives to MTA; however, further research is required to support this assumption.

The use of nickel-titanium rotary instruments in endodontic practice is increasing. One frequently mentioned problem is fracture of an instrument within the root canal. To date, there is no consistently safe and successful technique for removing these fractured instruments. This study evaluates the use of an ultrasonic technique to remove fractured rotary nickel-titanium instruments from narrow, curved canals in both simulated (resin blocks) and mesiolingual canals of extracted mandibular first molars. A technique using ultrasonic tips, combined with the creation of a "staging platform" and the use of the dental operating microscope, was consistently successful and safe at removing fractured rotary nickel-titanium instruments from curved root canals, when some part of the fractured instrument segment was located in the straight portion of the canal. When the fractured instrument segment was located entirely around the curve, the success rate was significantly decreased and major canal damage often occurred.