Scouting Ability of 4 Pathfinding Instruments in Moderately Curved Molar Canals

Glide path preparation has been recommended as a mandatory clinical step to ensure the safe usage of nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary instruments. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and fracture rate of 4 pathfinding NiTi rotary instruments in mechanically negotiating moderately curved molar canals.

Moderately curved maxillary (n = 120) and mandibular (n = 120) molars were randomly distributed into 4 experimental groups (n = 60, 30 maxillary and 30 mandibular molars) according to the instrument used for glide path preparation: ScoutRace 10/.02 (FKG Dentaire, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland) (800 rpm and 1-Ncm torque), ProDesign 25/.01 (Easy Equipamentos Odontológicos, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil) (350 rpm and 1-Ncm torque), Mtwo 10/.04 (VDW, Munich, Germany) (280 rpm and 1.2 Ncm torque), or ProGlider 16/.02 (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) (300 rpm and 5-Ncm torque). The instrument fracture rate and the absolute and percentage frequencies of molars in which the pathfinding instruments reached the full working length in all root canals according to tooth and canal types were recorded and statistically compared using the Pearson's chi-square test (α = 5%).

The highest and lowest frequency of reached the full working length canals were observed in the ScoutRace (68.3%) and ProDesign (38.3%) groups (P < .05), respectively, whereas the Mtwo (58.3%) and ProGlider (51.6%) groups showed intermediate results (P > .05). The ProGlider group showed the highest percentage frequency of instrument separation (11.6%) followed by the Mtwo (8.3%), ScoutRace (3.3%), and ProDesign (3.3%) groups (P < .05).

ScoutRace performed more efficiently and with less instrument breakage than the other systems. ProDesign was the least efficient, and ProGlider exhibited the highest rate of instrument breakage among the systems tested.