JOURNALOF ENKJKJNTICS Printed in U.S.A.

Copyright 0 2000 by The American Association of Endodontists VOL. 26, No. 3, MARCH 2000

CLINICAL ARTICLES

A Simple Method for the Analysis of Root

Canal Preparation
Alexandre August0 Zaia, DDS, MSc, PhD, Caio Cezar Randi Ferraz, DDS, MSc,
Gerson Hiroshi Yoshinari, DDS, and Francisco Jose de Souza Filho, DDS, MSc, PhD

The purpose of this article is to present a simple

and easy method for in vitro analysis of root canal
instrumentation that permits one to observe and
measure the diameter of a root before and after
instrumentation, using the teeth themselves as
control.

The study of root canal anatomy is of great interest in dentistry,

mainly in endodontics, where the preparation of the root canal is
the most important phase of endodontic treatment (1, 2). Good
instrumentation removes necrotic tissues and contaminated dentin,
a process directly associated with the success of endodontic treat-
ment. Many techniques are used for in vitro analysis of endodon-
tics instrumentation of root canals, including radiographic analysis
(3,4), histological images obtained with the light microscope ( 5 , 6 )
or the scanning electron microscope (7),injectable silicone (8),and
others. These techniques do not permit observation of the canal
anatomy before and after instrumentation, and it is important to
know with precision which areas of dentin have been properly
instrumented and cleaned by endodontic instrumentation. Bra-
mante et al. (9) described a technique that permits one to observe
the morphology of the root canals before and after instrumentation.
However, this technique is complex and requires specific equip-
ment, such as a hard tissue microtome, which is expensive and FIG 1. The mesial root was separated from the first lower molar.
available in only few laboratories. Besides, loss of dentin during
root cutting does not permit a perfect assembly of root fragments.
The purpose of the present report is to describe a method that a rectangular block with a slightly conic shape (Fig. 2). With the
shows the root canal diameter in vitro before and after instrumen- help of a diamond bur in the high-speed handpiece, four V-
tation using inexpensive equipment and without loss of dentin shaped grooves were made in the resin along the long axis of the
tissue during root sectioning. tooth, one on each surface of the block (Fig. 3). The resin block
was then lubricated with vaseline. A base of chemically acti-
vated acrylic resin was prepared for support (Fig. 4). The
MATERIALS AND METHODS vaseline is important because it permits the tooth to be easily
released from the support with the grooves serving as guides.
The mesial root from the first lower molar was used to Horizontal grooves around the resin and the dentin were made
describe this technique. The root was separated from the tooth using a diamond disc in the low-speed handpiece at the cervical,
with a carburundum disc (Fig. I). The root surface was treated middle, and apical levels. This step must be carefully performed
with acid and then covered with light-cured resin, thus forming in order to avoid damage to the areas of interest. The root can

172
Vol. 26, No. 3,March 2000 Analysis of Root Canal Preparation 173

FIG4. Base made with acrylic resin.

FIG2. The root surface was covered with light-cured resin. The block
shape should be slightly conic.

FIG5. After horizontal grooves were made at the cervical, middle,

and apical levels, the root was broken into three pieces by inserting
a screwdriver into each horizontal groove.

then be broken by placing the tip of a screwdriver into each

FIG 3. Grooves are made along the long axis of the tooth, one on groove and applying a gentle knock (Fig. 5). This must be
each surface of the block. repeated for each horizontal groove.
174 Zaia et al.
FIG 6. Root pieces mounted into the support for instrumentation.
The normal root diameter anatomy can then be measured and
recorded. The root pieces are then mounted again into the
support for instrumentation (Fig. 6). The fracture does not
provoke loss of dentin material and permits a perfect assembly
of the fragments.
After instrumentation, the root pieces are removed from the
support and the fragments are again observed. One side of the
support can be removed with a bur to facilitate removal of the
pieces. The anatomy and diameter of the instrumented canal can
now be compared with the diameter of the canal before instru-
mentation. The results obtained are suitable to be analyzed
statistically.
Journal of Endodontics
DISCUSSION
It is of great interest in endodontics to obtain information about
the anatomy of the canal after instrumentation in order to evaluate
the efficiency of instrumentation throughout the canal and on all
walls. Until now only one method permitted observation of the
canal before and after instrumentation to determine the changes in
the original pattern of the canal (9).
The results of the technique presented herein are similar to those
reported by Bramante et al. (9). However, the present technique is
easier to perform and does not require expensive equipment. The
horizontal fracture used for root sectioning in this technique has the
additional advantage of perfect assembly of the fragments without
loss of dentin tissue, allowing an accurate comparison of the
changes made in the final shape of the root canal. Multiradicular
molars can be used in this technique by separating the roots before
analysis. The roots of these teeth can be used to compare different
techniques of instrumentation because they are the most difficult to
clean and shape, and their anatomy is highly variable and complex,
thus impairing cleaning.
Dr. Zaia is assistant professor of Endodontics; Dr. Ferraz is professor of
Endodontics; Dr. Yoshinari is professor of Endodontics; and Dr. Jose de Souza
Filho is professor of Endodontics,School of Dentistry of Piracicaba, Universrty of
Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Address requests for reprints to Dr. Alexandre
August0 Zaia, Av Limeira 901, Piracicaba-SP,CEP-13414-018, Brazil.
References
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