Fracture resistance in endodontically treated tooth using rotary and hand files

Evaluation and comparison of fracture resistance to endodontically treated teeth prepared with four different file systems (Hand K-Files, Wave One Gold, Pro-Taper Next and TruNatomy) is of interest to dentists. Hence, a total of 50 extracted single-rooted premolars were divided into five groups. The control group and the four groups were then used for biomechanical preparation. The samples were mounted and subjected to a fracture resistance test using a Universal Testing Machine after instrumentation and obturation. Results revealed that the control group exhibited the highest fracture resistance, followed by the Hand K-Files group, TruNatomy, Pro-Taper Next and WaveOne Gold, with the latter showing the lowest resistance. Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in fracture resistance among the groups (p < 0.0001), highlighting that hand files produced higher fracture resistance compared to the rotary systems. Thus, data shows that instrument design and taper significantly influence the structural integrity of endodontically treated teeth.