The influence of two handle designs and gloves on the performance of a simulated endodontic task

Forty dental students used an endodontic simulator to determine the effect of two different instrument handles. A manipulative procedure was timed with and without well-fitting gloves. A barrel-shaped handle produced faster times both with and without gloves. This difference between handles was of possible statistical significance only when gloves were used (p less than 0.06). The differences between wearing and not wearing gloves were extremely small for both instruments.