Influence of the Geometrical Cross-Section Design on the Dynamic Cyclic Fatigue Resistance of NiTi Endodontic Rotary Files—An In Vitro Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the influence of the geometrical cross-section design on the dynamic cyclic fatigue resistance of NiTi endodontic rotary files. Materials and Methods: Forty sterile endodontic rotary files were selected and distributed into the following study groups: A: 25.06 double S-shaped cross-section NiTi alloy endodontic rotary files (Mtwo) (n = 10); B: 20.04 rectangular cross-section NiTi alloy endodontic rotary files (T Pro E1) (n = 10); C: 25.04 convex triangular cross-section NiTi alloy endodontic rotary files (T Pro E2) (n = 10); and D: 25.06 triangular cross-section NiTi alloy endodontic rotary files (T Pro E4) (n = 10). A cyclic fatigue device was used to conduct the static cyclic fatigue tests with stainless steel artificial root canal systems with 200 µm and 250 µm apical diameter, 60° curvature angle, 3 mm radius of curvature, 20 mm length, and 4% and 8% taper. The results were analyzed using the ANOVA test and Weibull statistical analysis. Results: All the pairwise comparisons presented statistically significant differences between the time to failure and number of cycles to failure for the cross-section design study groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: the double S-shaped cross-section of Mtwo NiTi endodontic files shows higher cyclic fatigue resistance than the rectangular cross-section of T Pro E1 NiTi endodontic files, the convex triangular cross-section of T Pro E2 NiTi endodontic files, and the triangular cross-section of T Pro E4 NiTi endodontic files.