Impact of Endodontic Treatments on the Rigidity of the Root

Impact of Endodontic Treatments on the Rigidity of the Root
2006
E.A. Krall1,2,*, C. Abreu Sosa3, C. Garcia2, M.E. Nunn2, D.J. Caplan4, and R.I. Garcia1,2
Journal of Dental Research

© 2006 International and American Associations for Dental Research

1 VA Dental Longitudinal Study, VA Boston Healthcare System;
2 Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 715 Albany Street, 560, Room 338, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
3 University of Puerto Rico School of Dentistry; and
4 Department of Dental Ecology, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry

* corresponding author, kralle@bu.edu

ABSTRACT

The destabilizing effect of endodontic treatment upon teeth is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different steps of endodontic treatments upon the rigidity of teeth. Extracted untreated central maxillary anterior teeth were loaded (3.75 N), and deformations of the root were assessed by Speckle pattern interferometry. The following treatments (with subsequent determination of deformability) were conducted sequentially: access preparation, manual instrumentation (Kerr files ISO-40, ISO-60, ISO-80, ISO-110), and tapered and parallel-sided post preparation. It was found that the teeth were increasingly destabilized by any treatment. While the increased deformability was not significant with the manual enlargement (p > 0.05), we found a significant destabilization after access preparation and post preparation (p < 0.05). A corresponding difference was found after conversion of the post preparation from tapered to parallel-sided (p < 0.05). Both substance loss and modifications of the natural root canal geometry play an important role in tooth rigidity.

KEY WORDS: root canal treatment Ô rigidity Ô deformation Ô posts

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