Deformation and Fracture of Mtwo Rotary Nickel-Titanium Instruments After Clinical Use

Introduction: In recent years, a number of rotary nickel titanium (NiTi) systems have been developed to provide better, faster, and easier cleaning and shaping of the root canal system. Although the NiTi instruments are more flexible than the stainless steel files, the main problem with the rotary NiTi instruments is the failure of the instruments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the deformation and fracture rate of Mtwo rotary nickel-titanium instruments (VDW, Munich, Germany) discarded after routine clinical use. Methods: A total of 593 Mtwo rotary NiTi instruments were collected after clinical use from the clinic of endodontics over 12 months. The length of the files was measured using a digital caliper to determine any fracture, and then all the files were evaluated under a stereomicroscope for defects such as unwinding, curving, or bending and fracture. The fracture faces of separated files were also evaluated under a scanning electron microscope. The data were analyzed using a chi-square and z test. Results: A percentage of all files (25.80%) showed defects, and the major defect was fracture (16.02%). The most frequently fractured file was #10.04 (30.39%). Deformations without fracture were mostly observed on #15.05 files (25.47%). Conclusions: A higher rate of deformation was observed for #10.04 and #15.05 files. Therefore, these files should be considered as single-use instruments. Because cyclic fatigue was the cause of 71.58% of the instrument fractures, it is also important not to exceed the maximum number of usage recommended by the manufacturer and discard the instruments on a regular basis. (J Endod 2009,35:1396-1399)