A clinical study of the hand ProTaper nickel-titanium files in root canal treatment

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of ProTaper(a nickel-titanium instrument system)in the root canal treatment.MethodsA total of 546 patients who needed root canal treatment were selected and divided into 2 groups.The root canals were prepared with hand ProTaper(PT group)and stainless steel files(SS group)respectively,and root canal obturation was carried out at the same visit.The preparing time and the obturating time were recorded,and the outcome of the root canal obturation was evaluated based on post-operative radiograghs.Patients were viewed 3 days later,the incidence and degree of post-operative pain were recorded.ResultsThe preparing time was 4.58±0.41(min)in PT group and 6.66±0.43(min)in SS group,the obturating time was 3.61±0.40(min)in PT group and 4.94±0.43(min)in SS group,80.96% of canals were obturated rightly in PT group as compared with 62.64% in SS group.The incidence of post-operative pain was 3.66% in PT group and 10.26% in SS group.ConclusionThe hand ProTaper technique showed less time,better shaping ability and improved predictability in root canal obturation than stainless steel files,and it also caused less post-operative pain.