A survey of interfacial forces used during endosonic instrumentation of root canals

AIM: The aim of this in-vitro study was to measure interfacial forces acting between root canal dentine and ultrasonic files during endosonic instrumentation. METHODOLOGY: Single-rooted teeth were mounted on a cantilevered aluminium beam to which two pairs of single element strain gauges were joined in a half-bridge configuration mounted at right angles to each other. The strain gauges were connected to an analogue-to-digital converter fitted in a microcomputer via a conditioning amplifier. This enabled strains to be recorded as a function of interfacial forces over a period of time. Twenty operators instrumented root canals using sizes 15, 20 and 25 ultrasonically energized K-type files. The lateral forces generated were calculated. RESULTS: The mean interfacial forces used varied widely between operators and files, ranging from 18 g to 149 g, but there was a consistency in the relative magnitude for each operator. The average force used by the operators increased with file size; the differences between file sizes were significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The range of forces measured is broader than previously reported and may have a bearing on possible uncontrolled dentine removal, even during ultrasonically activated irrigation.