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Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and mode of WaveOne (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties, Tulsa, OK) instrument defects after single use at different endodontic clinics. Methods A total of 438 WaveOne instruments were collected after clinical use from the 4 specialist clinics over a 12-month period and from 1 graduate program over a 20-month period. The incidence and type of instrument defects were analyzed. The lateral surfaces of part of the defective instruments and fracture surfaces of fractured files were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Unused and clinically used files were examined by a nanoindentation test. Results Of the 438 WaveOne instruments collected, 42 (9.6%) had defects: 40 (9.1%) were distorted and 2 (0.5%) files had fractured, 1 Small and 1 Primary file. Clear differences in the frequency of defects were found among the 3 file sizes; the occurrence of distortion and fracture were highest with the Small file (21.2% and 0.7%, respectively) followed by the Primary file (4.4% and 0.4%, respectively) ( P < .05). No defects were detected on the Large file. The cause of the 2 fractures was shear stress. Instruments from various clinics showed no significantly different occurrence of instrument deformation. Unwinding occurred at 1.2–3.1 mm from the tip. No significant difference in nanohardness was detected among unused and used instruments. Conclusions The risk of WaveOne fracture is very low when files are singly used by endodontists and residents. Unwinding of the files occurred most frequently in the Small file. The frequency of defects of WaveOne instruments were not influenced by the operator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: In recent years, a number of rotary nickel titanium (NiTi) systems have been developed to provide better, faster, and easier cleaning and shaping of the root canal system. Although the NiTi instruments are more flexible than the stainless steel files, the main problem with the rotary NiTi instruments is the failure of the instruments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the deformation and fracture rate of Mtwo rotary nickel-titanium instruments (VDW, Munich, Germany) discarded after routine clinical use. Methods: A total of 593 Mtwo rotary NiTi instruments were collected after clinical use from the clinic of endodontics over 12 months. The length of the files was measured using a digital caliper to determine any fracture, and then all the files were evaluated under a stereomicroscope for defects such as unwinding, curving, or bending and fracture. The fracture faces of separated files were also evaluated under a scanning electron microscope. The data were analyzed using a chi-square and z test. Results: A percentage of all files (25.80%) showed defects, and the major defect was fracture (16.02%). The most frequently fractured file was #10.04 (30.39%). Deformations without fracture were mostly observed on #15.05 files (25.47%). Conclusions: A higher rate of deformation was observed for #10.04 and #15.05 files. Therefore, these files should be considered as single-use instruments. Because cyclic fatigue was the cause of 71.58% of the instrument fractures, it is also important not to exceed the maximum number of usage recommended by the manufacturer and discard the instruments on a regular basis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the topography of new and used ProTaper rotary nickel-titanium (NiTi) instruments by using atomic force microscope. Four new and four used size S1, S2, F1, and F2 instruments were selected for this study. New and used instruments were analyzed on 11 points along a 3-mm section at the tip of the instrument. Quantitative measurements according to the topographic deviations (root mean square) were recorded. Data were analyzed by paired samples t test. Mean root mean square values for used ProTaper instruments were higher than the new ones, and the difference between them was statistically significant. The results of this study showed that used ProTaper instruments demonstrated more surface deformation and wear. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]