Introduction: The aim of this in vitro study was two part. The first being to assess and compare the amount of dentin removed by an instrument with a taper of 0.04 versus an instrument with a taper of 0.06 using the Edge Evolve® file system at different increments within the canal system. Secondly, this study evaluated whether instrumentation with either taper resulted in a remaining dentin thickness (RDT) of less than 0.3mm. If this RDT was imposed upon, fracture resistance was compromised. Both pre and post instrumentation measurements were taken of samples instrumented with the 0.04 and 0.06 tapered files. Methods: Ten maxillary premolars exhibiting Weine class III canal systems and minimal to no root canal curvature were mounted in an acrylic resin filled K-cube. Each acrylic resin cube was sectioned horizontally at 3, 6, 9, and 12mm increments from the apex. The K-cube is a device which allows the investigator to disassemble and then reassemble root slices in their original orientation. Dentin thickness was measured at three positions on each canal using the Zeiss Discovery V20 stereomicroscope. The sections were then reassembled into the K-cube. The ten premolar roots were separated into two groups. In half of the teeth the buccal canals were instrumented with 0.04 tapered files and the lingual canals instrumented with 0.06 tapered files. In the other half of the teeth, instrumentation was reversed: the buccal canals were instrumented with 0.06 tapered files and the lingual canals were instrumented with 0.04 tapered files. Root sections were again separated, and the remaining dentin thickness was measured. A repeated-measures mixed-model ANCOVA was performed to analyze the effect of taper on RDT. Results: The amount of dentin removed was statistically different between the two tapers (P=0.02). Across all of the slices and positions, the 0.04 tapered instruments had an average pre-post difference of 0.1313mm. The 0.06 tapered instruments had an average pre-post difference of 0.1672mm. None of the instruments imposed upon the recommended 0.3mm RDT. Conclusion: The 0.04 tapered files instrument with greater conservancy than the 0.06 tapered files. The 0.06 tapered files had their greatest effect on the canal in the 9mm and 12mm sections. However, neither taper imposed upon the recommended RDT for optimal fracture resistance within the apical 12mm root portion observed in this study. Keywords: Instrumentation, Edge Evolve, Root canal preparation, Taper

The purpose of this study was to compare the thickness of dentin removed from the buccal root of bifurcated maxillary first premolars (BMFP) in the area of furcation groove after instrumentation with WaveOne and LightSpeed LSX files utilizing limited field cone beam computerized tomography. All data was analyzed using repeated-measured mixed-model ANOVA and differences were described using Tukey’s multiple comparison procedure. The thickness of dentin removed with LightSpeed LSX files (0.1 mm) was significantly less than the thickness of dentin removed with WaveOne files (0.2 mm). To conclude, LSX files remove a more predictable and consistent thickness of dentin from the buccal root of BMFP, irrespective of the pre-instrumentation thickness of dentin and the file size when compared to WO files that remove a more variable thickness of dentin.

Objetivo: Evaluar el grosor dentinario en el tercio cervical, medio y apical de primeros molares deciduos a nivel de las paredes de los conductos radiculares mediante el uso de tomografía computarizada de haz cónico. Materiales y métodos: La muestra estuvo conformada por 30 tomografías de haz cónico. La unidad de análisis estuvo compuesta por primeros molares deciduos, los cuales fueron divididos en dos grupos (n=15), el grupo de primeros molares deciduos superiores e inferiores. Para la toma de las medidas del grosor dentinario de las paredes de cada conducto, se realizó 3 cortes de vista axial en la tomografía en el tercio cervical, medio y apical. Luego, cada tercio fue dividido en 4 superficies (distal, mesial, lingual/palatino y vestibular), lo cual sirvió para tomar las medidas y realizar la sumatoria de las 4 superficies del grosor dentinario en milímetros para obtener el promedio final del tercio. Los datos fueron analizados mediante estadística descriptiva (media, mediana, desviación estándar y rango intercuartílico). Resultado: Se obtuvieron las medias para el grupo del primer molar deciduo superior e inferior, en los cuales se observó medidas diferentes a nivel de los tres tercios y superficies evaluadas. Conclusión: Es importante tener mayor conocimiento sobre la anatomía del primer molar deciduo, debido a las diversas características que esta presenta en comparación a los molares de la dentición permanente. / Objective: To evaluate the dentin thickness in cervical, middle and apical third of deciduous first molars at the level of the root canal walls by using cone beam computed tomography. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 30 Cone Beam tomography. The analysis unit was made up of deciduous first molars, which were divided into two groups (n=15), the group of upper and lower deciduous first molars. To take the measurements of the dentin thickness of the walls of each canal, 3 axial views were made on the tomography in the cervical, middle and apical third. Then each third was divided into 4 surfaces (distal, mesial, lingual / palatal and vestibular), which served to take the measurements and make the sum of the 4 surfaces of the dentin thickness in millimeters to obtain the final average of the third. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, median, standard deviation and interquartile range). Results: The means for the upper and lower deciduous first molar group were obtained, in which different measures were observed at the level of the three-thirds and evaluated surfaces. Conclusion: It is important know more about anatomy of the first deciduous molar, due to the various characteristics that it presents compared to the molars of the permanent dentition. / Tesis