Multiple-file vs. single-file endodontics in dental practice: a study in routine care

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Dental Practice
• Clinical Outcomes

Background:

• Limited data exists comparing rotary multiple-file (MF) and single-file (SF) endodontic systems in routine dental care.
• Understanding differences in pain, quality of life, and preparation speed is crucial for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the outcomes of MF and SF endodontic systems in primary root canal treatment.
• To evaluate pain reduction (VAS), oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL via OHIP-G-14), and root canal preparation speed.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter study involving ten general dental practitioners (GDPs).
• GDPs used MF systems for five months, then switched to a SF system (WaveOne) for the next five months.
• Patient-reported pain and OHRQoL were documented before and after treatment.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in pain reduction (VAS) between MF (34.4) and SF (35.0) groups.
• Similar improvements in OHRQoL (OHIP-G-14) were observed: 9.4 (MF) vs. 8.5 (SF).
• Single-file (SF) root canal preparation was significantly faster (146.8s) than multiple-file (MF) systems (238.9s) (p=0.003).

Conclusions:

• Both SF and MF endodontic systems provide comparable improvements in endodontic pain and OHRQoL.
• The WaveOne SF system demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in root canal preparation time compared to MF systems.