Root canal cleaning efficacy of rotary and hand files instrumentation in primary molars

Pulpectomy of primary teeth is commonly carried out with hand files and broaches; a tricky and time consuming procedure. The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the cleaning efficacy and time taken for instrumentation of deciduous molars using hand K-files and Flex Master rotary system.

In this study, 68 canals of 23 extracted primary molars with at least two third intact roots and 7-12 mm length were selected. After preparing an access cavity, K-file size #15 was introduced into the root canal and India ink was injected with an insulin syringe. Sixty samples were randomly divided in to experimental groups in group I (n=30), root canals were prepared with hand K-files; in group II (n=30), rotary Flex Master files were used for instrumentation, and in group III 8 remained samples were considered as negative controls. After clearing and root sectioning, the removal of India ink from cervical, middle, and apical thirds was scored. Data was analyzed using student's T-test and Mann-Whitney U test.

There was no significant difference between experimental groups cleaning efficacy at the cervical, middle and apical root canal thirds. Only the coronal third scored higher in the hand instrumented group (P<0.001). Instrumentation with Flex Master rotary files was significantly less time consuming (P<0.001).

Although there was no difference in cleanliness efficacy at the apical and middle thirds, the coronal third was more effectively cleaned with hand files. Predictably, time efficiency was a significant advantage with rotary technique.