Contrast-enhanced micro-CT to assess dental pulp tissue debridement in root canals of extracted teeth: a series of cascading experiments towards method validation.

AIM: To validate a new method for the evaluation of pulp tissue debridement in the root canals of extracted teeth using an impregnation protocol involving potassium triiodide, a radiocontrast solution known as Lugol's, combined with micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) imaging. METHODOLOGY: The impact of NaOCl on the radiopacity of Lugol's solution was assessed using a two-fold dilution series of Lugol in distilled water and 5.25% NaOCl, which were then pipetted into transparent dishes and radiographed. To verify the influence of Lugol on the proteolytic effect of NaOCl, a dissolution test was performed using fresh bovine meat. Ten slices did not undergo any tissue processing, whilst twenty slices were fixed in formaldehyde for 24 h. After that, 10 of them were immersed in Lugol for another 24 h. Then, all specimens were placed in NaOCl and the time required for a complete tissue dissolution was recorded. For the last experiments (histological validation and micro-CT assessment), 8 extracted mandibular premolars with formerly vital pulps were immersed in buffered formalin, scanned in a micro-CT device, accessed, immersed in Lugol for 7 days and scanned again. Then, the root canals of 5 teeth were prepared and scanned, and the volume of remaining pulp tissue identified and quantified, whilst 3 teeth were histologically processed. The same specimens were subjected to histological assessment, and the images of the histologic sections were registered with the corresponding micro-CT images to verify whether the pulp tissue in the histological sections matched its counterpart in the Lugol-impregnated tissues identified in the micro-CT slices. RESULTS: There was no discernible effect on radiopacity when NaOCl was mixed with Lugol's solution. Tissue processing did not affect the time required for the complete dissolution of fresh bovine meat. Histological evaluation revealed a correlation between micro-CT and histological images confirming the identification of Lugol-impregnated pulp tissue in micro-CT images. CONCLUSIONS: The radiocontrast Lugol's solution was unaffected by NaOCl and did not interfere with its soft tissue dissolution capability. The impregnation protocol using Lugol's solution allowed the visualization of pulp tissue on the micro-CT images and the identification of pulp remnants after chemical-mechanical canal procedures.

Current status on minimal access cavity preparations: a critical analysis and a proposal for a universal nomenclature.

In the last decade, several access cavity designs involveing minimal removal of tooth tissue have been described for gaining entry to pulp chambers during root canal treatment. The premise behind this concept assumes that maximum preservation of as much of the pulp chamber roof as possible during access preparation would maintain the fracture resistance of teeth following root canal treatment. However, the smaller the access cavity, the more difficult it may be to visualize and debride the pulp chamber as well as locate, shape, clean and fill the canals. At the same time, a small access cavity may increase the risk of iatrogenic complications as a result of poor visibility, which may have an impact on treatment outcome. This study aimed to critically analyse the literature on minimal access cavity preparations, propose new nomenclature based on self-explanatory abbreviations and highlight the areas in which more research is required. The search was conducted without restrictions using specifics terms and descriptors in four databases. A complementary screening of the references within the selected studies, as well as a manual search in the highest impact journals in endodontics, namely International Endodontic Journal and Journal of Endodontics, was also performed. The initial search retrieved 1831 publications. The titles and abstracts of these papers were reviewed, and the full text of 94 studies was assessed. Finally, a total of 28 studies were identified as evaluating the influence of minimally invasive access cavity designs on the fracture resistance of teeth and on the different stages of root canal treatment (orifice location, canal shaping, canal cleaning, canal filling and retreatment). Overall, the studies had major methodological drawbacks and reported inadequate and/or inconclusive results on the utility of minimally invasive access preparations. Furthermore, they offered limited scientific evidence to support the use of minimally invasive access cavities to improve the outcome of root canal treatment and retreatment; they also provided little evidence that they preserved the fracture resistance of root filled teeth to a greater extent than traditional access cavity preparations. It was concluded that at present, there is a lack of supporting evidence for the introduction of minimally invasive access cavity preparation into routine clinical practice and/or training of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Influence of minimally invasive endodontic access cavities on root canal shaping and filling ability, pulp chamber cleaning and fracture resistance of extracted human mandibular incisors.

AIM: To evaluate the influence of the location and design of endodontic access cavities on root canal shaping and filling ability, pulp chamber cleaning and fracture resistance of extracted human mandibular incisors. METHODOLOGY: After pre-selection using periapical radiographs, forty extracted intact human mandibular incisors were scanned in a micro-computed tomographic device. The teeth were matched based on similar anatomical features of the canals and assigned to four experimental groups (n = 10) according to the endodontic access cavity and root canal preparation protocol: traditional/TRUShape (T/TRU); traditional/MTwo (T/MT); minimally invasive/TRUShape (MI/TRU); and minimally invasive/MTwo (MI/MT). The samples were scanned after root canal instrumentation and filling procedures. The parameters evaluated were as follows: volume and area of the root canal, noninstrumented canal areas, canal transportation and centring ratio, accumulated hard tissue debris, voids in root canal fillings and remnants of root canal filling materials in the pulp chamber. After root canal filling and cavity restoration procedures, the samples were submitted to a fracture resistance test. Data were statistically analysed using Shapiro-Wilk, one-way anova and Bonferroni tests with a significance level of 5% (α = 0.05). RESULTS: There was no difference regarding all parameters evaluated before and after root canal preparation (volume and area of the root canal, noninstrumented canal areas, canal transportation and centring ratio, and accumulated hard tissue debris) amongst the groups (P > 0.05). MI/TRU and MI/MT groups were associated with significantly more voids in root canal fillings when compared to the T/TRU and T/MT groups (P < 0.05). Percentage of root canal filling material remnants in the pulp chamber after cleaning procedures and mean fracture resistance values were not significantly different amongst the four experimental groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The location and design of the endodontic access cavity did not impact on root canal preparation nor resistance to fracture of extracted mandibular incisors, regardless of the instrument used. Minimally invasive access cavities were associated with significantly more voids in root canal fillings.

Do pre-existing microcracks play a role in the fracture resistance of roots in a laboratory setting?

AIM: To investigate a potential cause-effect relationship between dentinal microcracks and fracture resistance of mandibular incisors that had not been endodontically treated. METHODOLOGY: Sixty mandibular incisors with circular-shaped canals were selected based on micro-computed tomographic scans to create a homogeneous sample. The cross-sectional images of the specimens were screened to identify and quantify the presence of dentinal microcracks. Then, teeth were embedded in polystyrene resin and subjected to axial compressive loading using a universal testing machine. After fracture, the roots were re-scanned and fractography analysis was performed by inspection of 3D models to verify crack propagation. Spearman's rank correlation was used to assess the correlation between the number of microcracks and force required to fracture. RESULTS: Dentinal microcracks were detected in 79% of the specimens (n = 44). The incidence of microcracks varied between teeth from 6% to 42% of the total slices per sample (average of 14 ± 17%). The number of microcracks per sample varied from 0 to 1605, with an average of 412 ± 484 (median = 221 and IQR 25% = 15/75% = 658). The load at failure values varied from 227 to 924 N, with an average of 560.3 ± 168.1 N (median = 561 and IQR 25% = 458/75% = 694). The Spearman correlation coefficient (rho) equalled 0.065. CONCLUSIONS: There was no cause-effect relationship between the number of dentinal microcracks and the fracture resistance of nonendodontically treated mandibular incisors. The presence and quantity of microcracks did not make these roots more prone to fracture.

Effect of access cavity design on gaps and void formation in resin composite restorations following root canal treatment on extracted teeth.

AIM: To evaluate the influence of ultraconservative endodontic access cavities (UEC) on gaps and void formation in resin composite restorations in extracted two-rooted maxillary premolars after root canal treatment. Traditional endodontic access cavities (TEC) were used as a reference for comparison. METHODOLOGY: Two-rooted maxillary premolars were scanned in a micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) device, matched based on similar anatomical features and allocated into two groups (n = 10) according to the design of the access cavity: TEC or UEC. Teeth were mounted on a mannequin head and a single operator performed the treatment, including endodontic access cavity preparation, root canal detection, preparation, filling and restoration procedures, under magnification. For restorative procedure, a bulk fill flowable layer was applied initially followed by an overlaying of regular composite. After restoration procedures, a new micro-CT scan was performed to check the quality of the coronal restoration by analysing the percentage volume of empty spaces present in the tooth-restoration interface (gaps) and inside the restoration (voids). Data were analysed statistically using Shapiro-Wilk and Student's t tests with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: All specimens had gaps and voids. There were significant differences between the access cavity designs regarding the formation of voids with significantly more voids associated with the UEC (P < 0.05). Gap formation did not differ between groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The access cavity design used during root canal treatment interfered with the adaptation of the restorative material. The minimally invasive access cavity design was associated with a significantly greater number of voids within restorations.

The influence of the addition of surfactants to sodium hypochlorite on the removal of hard tissue debris.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of the addition of surfactants to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on the removal of accumulated hard tissue debris (AHTD), before and after final irrigation with 17% EDTA, from mesial canals of mandibular molars through microcomputed tomographic (micro-CT) analysis. METHODOLOGY: Thirty moderately curved mandibular mesial roots with Vertucci type II canal configuration were selected and scanned in a micro-CT device at an isotropic resolution of 22.9 µm. The specimens were assigned to three groups (n = 10) with respect to the root length, degree of curvature of the mesial root, volume and 3D anatomy of the root canals according to the irrigating solution used during root canal preparation: 2.5% NaOCl and 0.1% Benzalkonium Chloride, 2.5% NaOCl and 0.1% Tween 80 and 2.5% NaOCl without additives. The root canals were instrumented up to Reciproc R25 instrument. Then, the specimens were scanned again after canal preparation and after final irrigation with 17% EDTA, and the registered data sets were examined to evaluate the percentage of AHTD. For comparison between the different groups before and after using 17% EDTA, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used with a significance level of 5%. For comparison between the same groups before and after using 17% EDTA, the Wilcoxon test was used with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: None of the irrigant solutions tested was able to completely eliminate hard tissue debris from mesial canals of mandibular molars. There were no significant differences in the percentage of AHTD amongst the different irrigation solutions (P > 0.05). Final irrigation with 17% EDTA significantly reduced the percentage of AHTD (P < 0.05), without differences amongst the groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of surfactants to NaOCl did not affect the removal of AHTD from mesial canals of extracted mandibular molars. Final irrigation with 17% EDTA significantly improved AHTD removal.

Creation of well-balanced experimental groups for comparative endodontic laboratory studies: a new proposal based on micro-CT and in silico methods.

AIM: To introduce a new method to select anatomically matched teeth using micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) technology. METHODOLOGY: Single-rooted mandibular incisors with a single root canal (n = 60) were selected and distributed into three experimental groups according to the method used for matching 10 pairs of teeth in each group. In group 1, the pairs of mandibular incisors were randomly selected from a pool of teeth. In group 2, teeth were paired based on the measurement of canal width 5 mm from the root apex using radiographs taken from buccolingual and mesiodistal directions. In group 3, teeth were scanned (pixel size of 14.25 µm) and pair-matched based on the anatomical aspects of the root canal, named aspect ratio (AR), volume and three-dimensional canal geometry. After allocating the specimens into groups 1 and 2, the teeth were scanned and the canal morphology evaluated as in group 3. A bivariate Pearson's regression analysis was performed correlating the individual AR values of each pair, and the correlation coefficient was used to estimate the strength of the pair-matching process. One-way anova post hoc Tukey's tests were applied for pairwise comparisons at a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The micro-CT revealed that 100% of the samples had strong (80%) or very strong (20%) correlations with respect to AR values. Analysis of the radiographic method revealed strong correlation in two pairs (20%), but most of the samples had weak (30%) or negligible (30%) correlation coefficients. The randomization method resulted in three pairs (30%) with very strong correlations, whilst 50% had weak or negligible rates. A significant difference in correlation coefficients was observed in the micro-CT method compared to the other groups (P < 0.05), whilst no difference was detected between radiographic and randomized methods (P > 0.05). Eta-squared (η2 ) calculations demonstrated a very high effect size in the micro-CT group for selecting pairs (0.99) and lower effect sizes in the radiographic (0.67) and randomized (0.66) groups. CONCLUSIONS: Use of Micro-CT was able to provide better control of the confounding effect that anatomical variances in tooth morphology may have on the results in experiments with matched-pair design.

Does ultraconservative access affect the efficacy of root canal treatment and the fracture resistance of two-rooted maxillary premolars?

AIM: To evaluate the influence of ultraconservative endodontic cavities (UEC) on canal shaping and filling ability, cleaning of the pulp chamber, time required to perform root canal treatment and fracture resistance of 2-rooted maxillary premolars in comparison with traditional endodontic access cavities (TEC) in extracted teeth placed in a phantom head to simulate clinical conditions. METHODOLOGY: Twenty extracted intact 2-rooted maxillary premolars were scanned in a micro-computed tomographic device, matched based on similar anatomical features of the canals and assigned to UEC or TEC groups (n = 10). Then, teeth were mounted on a mannequin head and their pulp chamber accessed. After canal preparation, filling and cavity restoration, the time required to perform root canal treatment was recorded and the specimens were loaded to fracture in a universal testing machine. The maximum load at fracture was recorded. The sample was scanned after root canal instrumentation, filling and restoration procedures. Untouched canal areas, accumulation of hard-tissue debris (AHTD), voids in root fillings and cleaning of the pulp chamber were analysed. Data were analysed statistically using Shapiro-Wilk and Student's t-tests with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The percentage of untouched canal area did not differ significantly between UEC and TEC groups (P > 0.05). However, UECs were associated with a greater percentage of AHTD after canal preparation (P < 0.05). No differences were observed in terms of voids in root fillings between the groups (P > 0.05). Nonetheless, UEC had a greater percentage of root filling remnants in the pulp chamber after cleaning procedures (P < 0.05). The time required to perform root canal treatment was significantly longer in the UEC group (P < 0.05). There was no difference regarding the mean load at fracture between the groups (P > 0.05). Unrestorable fractures were observed in all specimens of both groups. CONCLUSIONS: There was no true benefit associated with ultraconservative endodontic cavities. UEC resulted in more AHTD remaining inside the root canals. UEC did not influence the quality of root fillings; however, UEC made the cleaning procedure of the pulp chamber more difficult, thus increasing the total time required to perform root canal treatment. Moreover, UEC were not associated with an increase in fracture resistance of root filled 2-rooted maxillary premolars.

Arrowhead design ultrasonic tip as a supplementary tool for canal debridement.

AIM: To investigate the shaping and cleaning performance of the Clearsonic ultrasonic tip as a supplementary tool during the preparation of long oval-shaped root canals through micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) imaging technology. The Reciproc M-Wire R40 instrument was used as a reference instrumentation technique for comparison. METHODOLOGY: Twenty mandibular incisors with single, straight and long oval-shaped canals were selected and pair-matched by micro-CT scanning. The root canals were prepared with Reciproc R25 and R40 instruments, scanned again in a micro-CT device and randomly allocated into one of the two experimental groups (n = 10), according to the supplementary debridement protocol used: Clearsonic or Reciproc R40 used in a brushing motion against buccal and lingual walls. Noninstrumented canal areas, accumulation of hard-tissue debris (AHTD) and volume of removed dentine were assessed using micro-CT imaging following the supplementary debridement protocols. Data were analysed statistically in two phases using a t-test with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: In phase-1, there was a significant similarity between the samples regarding the evaluated micro-CT baseline parameters (P > 0.05), validating the anatomical similarity between the tooth pairs. In phase-2, there was a significant difference between the groups for canal volume, surface area, noninstrumented root canal walls and the amount of removed dentine for both absolute and percentage values (P < 0.05), but not for AHTD (P = 0.759). CONCLUSIONS: The Clearsonic tip outperformed the Reciproc R40 instrument as a supplementary debridement protocol as it was associated with significantly greater reduction of noninstrumented root canals walls and consequently a larger amount of removed dentine. Both groups performed similarly regarding the AHTD.

Dentinal microcracks on freshly extracted teeth: the impact of the extraction technique.

AIM: To evaluate the incidence of root dentinal microcracks after two extraction techniques through micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) analysis. METHODOLOGY: Thirty pairs of premolars, extracted for orthodontic reasons, were assigned to two experimental groups, following a split-mouth design (n = 30): traumatic technique group (TTG) - teeth extracted following a conventional protocol using forceps, and an atraumatic technique group (ATG) - teeth extracted following an atraumatic technique protocol in which the root was gently detached from the periodontal ligament using a periotome. All teeth were immediately immersed in distilled water and scanned in a micro-CT device within 72 h following the extraction. The assessment of the images was completed on cross-section images by two masked evaluators. The Mann-Whitney test was used to assess the significant differences between the groups regarding the number of cross-sections displaying microcracks whilst the Fischer's exact test was used to assess differences in the frequency of specimens with defects (P < 0.05). RESULTS: A total of 52 750 micro-CT cross-sectional images were evaluated. A total of 352 cross-sections had at least one dentinal defect. Microcracks were observed in five teeth of the TTG group (n = 352 slices) and in two teeth of the ATG group (n = 103 slices). The statistical analysis used was unable to detect a significant difference between the groups in terms of the number of dentinal microcracks (P = 0.233) and in the frequency of teeth displaying microcracks (P = 0.424). CONCLUSION: A small number of sound teeth without endodontic treatment had dentinal microcracks regardless of the extraction technique applied. No difference was noticed between the traumatic and atraumatic techniques in the incidence of microcracks.

Anatomical danger zone reconsidered: a micro-CT study on dentine thickness in mandibular molars.

AIM: To investigate the smallest dentine thickness in mesial canals of mandibular molars along the cervical and middle thirds of the root by means of a micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) technology and digital image analysis. METHODOLOGY: Fifty mesial roots of mandibular molars having two independent canals (mesiobuccal and mesiolingual), in the coronal and middle levels, were selected and scanned in a micro-CT device. After reconstruction procedures, approximately 468 slices per root covering the 7 mm below the furcation area of the mesial root were analysed to measure the smallest dentine thickness (danger zone [DZ]) in each slice from both distal and mesial regions of the mesial canals by an automatic segmentation process. RESULTS: The DZ values in the mesiobuccal canals varied from 0.67 to 1.93 mm, with an average of 1.13 ± 0.21 mm. For the mesiolingual canals, the DZ varied from 0.77 to 1.89 mm with an average of 1.10 ± 0.21 mm. There was no correspondence in the DZ between the mesiobuccal and mesiolingual canals at the same cross-sectional level in 71% of the specimens. Moreover, the smallest dentine thickness was towards the mesial region of the roots in 22% and 18% of the mesiolingual and mesiobuccal canals, respectively. (Figs 1 and 2 CONCLUSIONS: The smallest dentine thickness was on the mesial plane of the roots in about 40% of the canals. The vertical location of the DZ in relation to the furcation area was in the middle third of the root.

XP-endo Finisher R instrument optimizes the removal of root filling remnants in oval-shaped canals.

AIM: To evaluate the performance of XP-endo Finisher R instruments when removing root filling remnants from oval-shaped canals using microcomputed tomographic (micro-CT) imaging as the analytical tool. Passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) was used as a reference technique for comparison. METHODOLOGY: Twenty mandibular incisors with oval-shaped canals were matched based on similar anatomic features of the canal (volume, aspect ratio and 3D configuration) after scanning procedures. The canals were prepared with Reciproc R25 instruments, filled with gutta-percha and AH Plus sealer using the single-cone technique and retreated up to a Reciproc R40 instrument. After retreatment procedures, the specimens were rescanned, and the homogeneity between the specimens, the oval-shaped anatomy and the remaining filling material were confirmed. The pair-matched samples were assigned to two experimental groups (n = 10), according to the supplementary approach used: XP-endo Finisher R or PUI. Each sample was scanned after each endodontic procedure. The volume of remaining root filling material was quantified before and after the use of each supplementary approach. This analysis was performed considering the total canal (Student t-test) and also by thirds (anova procedure followed by a Bonferroni correction). Data were analysed statistically with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The volume of root filling material at baseline was similar between the groups (t-test, P = 0.787). XP-endo Finisher R removed significantly more root filling material compared to PUI (t-test, P = 0.015), as it removed a mean of ≅32% material compared to 12% for the PUI. There was no difference in the amount of root filling material removed in the root canal thirds after using both supplementary approaches (one-way anova, P = 0.07 for XP-endo Finisher R and P = 0.886 for PUI). CONCLUSIONS: Both supplementary approaches significantly reduced the volume of remaining root filling material from oval-shaped canals. The XP-endo Finisher R instrument removed significantly more root filling material than PUI. None of the supplementary approaches was able to render oval-shaped canals completely free from remaining root filling material.

Effectiveness of Reciproc Blue in removing canal filling material and regaining apical patency.

AIM: To compare the efficiency of M-Wire Reciproc and Reciproc Blue instruments in the removal of root filling material and in their ability to regain apical patency through micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) analysis. METHODOLOGY: Ten anatomically matched pairs of teeth, with a single oval-shaped straight canal, were selected and scanned in a micro-CT device. The root canals were prepared with M-Wire Reciproc R25 instruments and filled with gutta-percha and AH Plus sealer. The root canals were then randomly allocated into two groups (n = 10), according to the instrument used: M-Wire Reciproc and Reciproc Blue. The canals were retreated up to instrument sizes 25 and then 40 in both groups. The surface area and volume of residual filling material were assessed using micro-CT imaging after the retreatment procedures. The time required to remove the root fillings was recorded. Data were analysed statistically using t-test with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between the instruments in terms of the volume of residual root filling material. Apical enlargement from size 25 to 40 significantly improved the removal of filling materials (P < 0.05). It was possible to regain apical patency in all specimens from both M-Wire Reciproc and Reciproc Blue groups. No difference was observed in the time required to perform the retreatment between the instruments. CONCLUSIONS: Both M-Wire Reciproc and Reciproc Blue instruments were effective in removing filling materials from oval-shaped straight canals. Apical patency was reestablished in all specimens.

Shaping efficiency as a function of time of a new heat-treated instrument.

AIM: To assess the shaping ability of the new XP-endo Shaper instrument after different working times. METHODOLOGY: Ten mesial roots of mandibular molars were scanned in a micro-computed tomographic device and prepared using the XP-endo Shaper instrument up to the working length (WL) according to the manufacturer's recommendation. Then, each specimen was subjected to an extra 15, 30 and 45 s of active instrumentation at the WL. Postoperative scans were performed after canal preparation at each time-point. Then, the registered pre- and postoperative datasets were examined to evaluate the percentages of volume and surface area of the instrumented canal, surface area of noninstrumented canal areas and the volume of removed dentine. Repeated measures general linear model was used to compare the differences in either the increase or the reduction of the parameters amongst the time-points. Alpha-error was set at 5%. RESULTS: Extending the period of XP-endo Shaper active instrumentation at WL significantly influenced several parameters such as volume (P < 0.001) and surface area (P < 0.001) of the instrumented canal, surface area of noninstrumented canal areas (P < 0.001), and volume of removed dentine (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Extending the activation time of XP-endo Shaper instruments at WL resulted in a more comprehensive root canal preparation, increasing the volume and surface area of root canal preparation and the volume of removed dentine.

Root dentinal microcracks: a post-extraction experimental phenomenon?

AIM: To investigate the prevalence, location and pattern of pre-existing microcracks in non-endodontically treated teeth from fresh cadavers. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) technology was used as the analytical tool enabling full screening of the root dentine with the teeth retained in their original alveolar socket. METHODOLOGY: As a pilot study and to validate the present method, a series of 4 high-resolution scans were performed on one bone-block specimen with teeth collected post-mortem: (i) entire bone-block including the teeth, (ii) second molar tooth extracted atraumatically from the bone-block, (iii) extracted tooth dehydrated to induce dentinal defects and (iv) entire bone-block following reinsertion of the extracted tooth into its matching alveolar socket. In the main study, forty-two dentoalveolar maxillary and mandibular bone-blocks each containing 3-5 adjacent teeth (a total of 178 teeth) were collected post-mortem and scanned in a micro-CT device. All cross-section images of the 178 teeth (n = 65 530) were screened from the cementoenamel junction to the apex to identify the presence of dentinal defects. RESULTS: In the pilot study, the microcracks observable when the dehydrated tooth was outside the bone-block remained detectable when the entire bone-block plus reinserted tooth was scanned. This means that the screening process revealed the presence of the same microcracks in both experimental situations (the tooth outside and inside the maxillary bone-block). From a total of 178 teeth in the bone-blocks removed from cadavers, 65 530 cross-sectional images were analysed and no dentinal microcracks were detected. CONCLUSIONS: This in situ cadaveric model revealed the lack of pre-existing dentinal microcracks in non-endodontically treated teeth. Thus, the finding of dentinal microcracks observed in previous cross-sectional images of stored extracted teeth is unsound and not valid. It should be assumed that microcracks observed in stored extracted teeth subjected to root canal procedures are a result of the extraction process and/or the post-extraction storage conditions. Therefore, as a consequence, the presence of such dentinal microcracks in stored extracted teeth - observable in cross-sectional images of the roots - should be referred to as experimental dentinal microcracks.

Micro-CT assessment of the shaping ability of four root canal instrumentation systems in oval-shaped canals.

AIM: To compare the shaping ability of four root canal instrumentation systems in oval-shaped canals using micro-computed tomographic analysis. METHODOLOGY: Forty anatomically matched mandibular incisors were scanned and assigned to four groups (n = 10), according to the canal preparation protocol: BioRace, Reciproc, Self-Adjusting File (SAF) and TRUShape systems. After canal instrumentation, the specimens were rescanned, and the registered pre- and postoperative datasets were examined to evaluate the percentages of accumulated hard-tissue debris, untouched canal walls and dentine removed. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests with Bonferroni correction were used to compare the variables in the groups (α = 5%). RESULTS: The preparation techniques did not affect the percentage of accumulated hard-tissue debris (P = 0.126). The percentage of untouched canal areas was significantly higher for BioRace (32.38%)compared to Reciproc (18.95%) and SAF (16.08%) systems (P < 0.05). Reciproc removed significantly more dentine (4.18%) than BioRace (2.21%) and SAF (2.56%) (P < 0.05). The TRUShape system had intermediate results for both untouched canal walls (19.20%) and dentine removed (3.77%), with no significant difference compared to BioRace, Reciproc and SAF systems. CONCLUSIONS: The preparation techniques resulted in the same level of accumulated hard-tissue debris. Compared to the other tested systems, BioRace was associated with more untouched canal walls and Reciproc produced the greatest amount of removed dentine. Although it touched more of the root canal walls, the SAF system removed less dentine, whereas TRUShape had intermediate results for these same parameters. None of the systems tested were able to provide optimal shaping ability in oval-shaped canals.

Effectiveness of XP-endo Finisher and XP-endo Finisher R in removing root filling remnants: a micro-CT study.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of filling material removal from oval-shaped canals after the use of supplementary files (XP-endo Finisher and XP-endo Finisher R) through microcomputed tomographic (micro-CT) analysis. METHODOLOGY: The root canals of twenty maxillary single-rooted teeth were prepared with Reciproc R25 files and filled with gutta-percha and AH Plus sealer using the continuous wave of condensation technique. The root canals were then retreated using Reciproc R25 and R40 instruments. After this, the specimens were assigned to two groups according to the supplementary cleaning approach, using XP-endo Finisher and XP-endo Finisher R. The surface area and volume of removed filling material was assessed using micro-CT imaging before and after the use of the XP-endo instruments. Data were analysed statistically with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Removal of filling material at 66.8% and 59.4% in volume and 67.3% and 61.4% in surface area was seen for the XP-endo Finisher and the XP-endo Finisher R files, respectively. The amount of filling material removed by both supplementary files was highly significant (P = 0.000). No significant difference in the percentage of removed filling material was detected for the XP-endo instruments (P = 0.636 for volume and P = 0.667 for surface area). CONCLUSIONS: Both XP-endo files were equally effective in the removal of remaining filling material from straight oval-shaped canals. None of the instruments were able to remove all the residual filling material.

Microcomputed tomographic evaluation of canal transportation and centring ability of ProTaper Next and Twisted File Adaptive systems.

AIM: To evaluate canal transportation and centring ability of ProTaper Next (PTN) and Twisted File Adaptive (TFA) systems using microcomputed tomographic (micro-CT) imaging. METHODOLOGY: Twenty isthmus-containing mesial roots of mandibular molars were anatomically matched based on similar morphological dimensions using micro-CT evaluation (resolution of 14.25 µm) and assigned to two experimental groups (n = 10) according to the system used for root canal preparation: PTN and TFA groups. Then, the specimens were scanned again and the matched images of the mesial canals, before and after preparation, were examined at three cross-section levels (3, 5 and 7 mm from the apical end of the root) to analyse canal transportation and centring ratio. Independent-samples t-test was used to compare canal transportation and centring ratio between the groups. All statistical procedures were performed with a significance level set at 5%. RESULTS: Root canals prepared with either PTN or TFA systems had similar canal transportation and centring ratios at all levels (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: PTN and TFA had similar results regarding canal transportation and centring ability.