Related Experiment Videos
The heat sink and its relationship to reducing heat during pin-reduction procedures
1Medical University of South Carolina, College of Dental Medicine, Division of Operative Dentistry, Charleston 29425-2605, USA.
Abstract:
When self-threading pins are used in the restoration of teeth, the heat generated by cutting these pins to the correct length may traumatize the pulp. This study evaluated cotton forceps and a mosquito hemostat used as a heat sink and at different positions on the pin to determine any change in heat transferred to the tooth. Three hundred self-threading pins (Whaledent TMS System: 100 each of the Regular, Minim, and Minikin sizes) were inserted into freshly extracted teeth and sectioned. The temperature change at the apical end of the pin was measured using a thermistor probe. The results indicated that metal supporting instruments can be effective in reducing heat transferred to the apical aspect of the pin during pin reduction.