Shaping efficiency as a function of time of a new heat-treated instrument

To assess the shaping ability of the new XP-endo Shaper instrument after different working times.

Ten mesial roots of mandibular molars were scanned in a micro-computed tomographic device and prepared using the XP-endo Shaper instrument up to the working length (WL) according to the manufacturer's recommendation. Then, each specimen was subjected to an extra 15, 30 and 45 s of active instrumentation at the WL. Postoperative scans were performed after canal preparation at each time-point. Then, the registered pre- and postoperative datasets were examined to evaluate the percentages of volume and surface area of the instrumented canal, surface area of noninstrumented canal areas and the volume of removed dentine. Repeated measures general linear model was used to compare the differences in either the increase or the reduction of the parameters amongst the time-points. Alpha-error was set at 5%.

Extending the period of XP-endo Shaper active instrumentation at WL significantly influenced several parameters such as volume (P < 0.001) and surface area (P < 0.001) of the instrumented canal, surface area of noninstrumented canal areas (P < 0.001), and volume of removed dentine (P < 0.001).

Extending the activation time of XP-endo Shaper instruments at WL resulted in a more comprehensive root canal preparation, increasing the volume and surface area of root canal preparation and the volume of removed dentine.