Comparative Analysis of Apical Root Crack Propagation after Root Canal Preparation at Different Instrumentation Lengths Using ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next and ProTaper Gold Rotary Files: An In vitro Study.

Aim: To compare the incidence of apical root crack formation after root canal preparation at different instrumentation lengths using ProTaper Universal (PTU), ProTaper Next (PTN) and ProTaper Gold (PTG) file systems.

Subjects and Methods: Eighty-four mandibular first premolars with single and straight root canal were mounted in resin block after simulating periodontal ligaments. 1-2 mm of root apex was exposed followed by sectioning of 1 mm of root tip for better stereomicroscopic visualization. While the Control group was left unprepared, experimental groups were instrumented up to root canal length (RCL) and (RCL-1 mm) respectively using PTU, PTN and PTG. After staining the root apex with 1% methylene blue dye, stereomicroscopic images were obtained for evaluating apical root cracks. The data were analyzed using Chi-square, phi and Cramer test. The significance level was set at P < 0.05.

Results: Significantly less dentinal defects were seen between PTG and PTU while there was no significant difference between PTU-PTN and PTN-PTG. Furthermore, samples instrumented up to RCL-1 mm showed lesser cracks as compared with samples instrumented up to RCL.

Conclusion: PTG produced least number of cracks followed by PTN and PTU. Furthermore, instrumenting short of RCL reduced the crack formation risk.