Cyclic fatigue resistance of XP-endo Shaper compared with different nickel-titanium alloy instruments.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess and compare the resistance to cyclic fatigue of XP-endo Shaper (XPS; FKG Dentaire, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland) instruments with TRUShape (TRS; Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties, Tulsa, OK, USA), HyFlex CM (HCM; Coltene, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, USA), Vortex Blue (VB; Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties), and iRace (iR; FKG Dentaire) nickel-titanium rotary instruments at body temperature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Size 30, 0.01 taper of XPS, size 30, 0.04 taper of HCM, VB, iR, and size 30, 0.06 taper of TRS instruments were immersed in saline at 37 ± 1 °C during cyclic fatigue testing. The instruments were tested with 60° angle of curvature and a 3-mm radius of curvature. The number of cycles to failure (NCF) was calculated and the length of the fractured segment was measured. Fractographic examination of the fractured surface was performed using a scanning electron microscope. The data were analyzed statistically using Kruskal-Wallis H test and Mann-Whitney U tests. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS: XPS had a significantly greater NCF compared with the other instruments (P < 0.001). The topographic appearance of the fracture surfaces of tested instruments revealed ductile fracture of cyclic fatigue failure.

CONCLUSION: XPS instruments exhibited greater cyclic fatigue resistance compared with the other tested instruments.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: XP-endo Shaper instruments could be used more safely in curved canals due to their higher fatigue resistance.