Evaluation of dentinal crack propagation, amount of gutta percha remaining and time required during removal of gutta percha using two different rotary instruments and hand instruments - An In vitro study

Background

One of the most important goal of non surgical endodontic retreatment is the successful removal of gutta percha and sealers from the root canal system. A variety of techniques have been recommended for retreatment procedures for the removal of gutta-percha and sealers with or without the help of adjunctive chemical solvents, by using stainless steel hand files or nickel-titanium rotary files, gate glidden burs, heated instruments, ultrasonic instruments, and lasers 1,3. The current advancements in the design of NiTi instruments have proved efficacious in the removal of filling materials from the root canal wall and various studies have also confirmed their cleaning ability and efficacy 4,5. Nevertheless, the use of rotary instrumentation can lead to the formation of dentinal cracks in the root canal dentin. Many researchers have reported the incidence of crack formation and propagation after the procedure with manual, rotary and reciprocating instruments. The behavior of rotary instruments in the generation of defects have been the point of greatest interest during many years 6. These dentinal cracks can be defined as defects with a complete crack line extending from inner root canal space up to the outer surface of the root when the tensile stress in the root canal wall exceeds the tensile stress of dentin 7.

Aim

This study was conducted to investigate and to compare the amount of dentinal microcracks formation with various new instrumentation methods and conventional hand filing method. It also looks into amount of gutta-percha removed after retreatment from the canal and the time required for all the instrumentation technique.

Methodology

Sixty extracted human maxillary first molars with curved roots were mounted on addition silicone impression material incorporated in an aluminium hollow block, then instrumented using step-back preparation with 35 size K files. Obturation was done using gutta-percha with AH plus sealer. These were stored for 14 days and divided into three groups Mani GPR, Endostar Re Endo and H file and were subjected to retreatment procedures. Retreatment was considered complete when no filling material was observed on the canal wall and the canal was smooth and free of visible debris. The samples were examined under scanning electron microscope and the number of cracks were calculated. The percentage of root canal filling material and time taken was recorded.

Statistical Analysis

The data obtained were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, ANOVA (Analysis of Variance), chi-square test and Scheffe's post hoc test through SPSS for window (version 22.0).

Result

All the techniques showed similar amount of crack propagation, with no statistical difference between the group. Retreatment done using H Files required more time and removed less material. The coronal third showed less amount of gutta-percha remnants than the apical third in all groups.

Conclusion

All the groups showed a similar amount of crack propagation. Less number of cracks were observed in the coronal one third and more amount of cracks were found at the apical third. Endostar RE Endo rotary instrument proved to be most effective and least time-consuming. Hedstrom Files required more time and removed less material.