Flexural behavior and thermal analysis of two post-machined glide path files with different kinematics in artificial dilacerated canal

Abstract

Introduction: Rotary glide path files save time and effort exerted with manual glide path files, they also minimize the stress created upon the preparation files. They should exhibit resistance to fracture as they negotiate tight and curved canals at the beginning of the preparation especially in severly curved canals. Aim: To evaluate the flexural fatigue resistance of post-machined heat-treated files with different kinematics in artificial dilacerated canals and to correlate their austenite temperature with the results of the time taken to fracture. Materials and methods: An artificial root canal was machined in a stainless steel block simulating a dilacerated canal with a 90° angle of curvature and 2-mm radius of curvature, length of the canal was 18 mm and the apical size of the canal was ISO 18 (diameter of 0.18 mm) with center of curvature is 4 mm from the apex and tapered coronally Results: The flexural fatigue behavior of R-Motion glider showed higher resistance to cyclic fatigue failure (237s) than Easy Path (90s) expressed by the significantly longer time needed to fracture the R-Motion although the austenite finish temperature of Easy Path was higher than R-Motion Glider. Conclusions: Reciprocating glide path files had superior flexural fatigue resistance than the rotating glide path regardless of the austenite finish temperature.