A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDY ON THE REMOVING EFFICIENCY OF SMEAR LAYER BY K-FILE AND ULTRASONIC INSTRUMENT

K-FILE과 초음파 기구의 도말층제거효과에 대한 주사전자 현미경적 연구

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the smear layer removing efficiency of two root canal preparation techniques. Twelve single-rooted teeth were used in two groups of six each. Group 1 was biomechanically prepared by hand using a K-file with a high volume of normal saline irrigation. Group 2 was. prepared by using ultrasonically activated K-file with a constant high volume of normal saline irrigation. After the experimental procedures, each root was split saggitally. The removing efficiency of the preparation methods were assessed in terms of surface condition of the canal walls at three levels, those coronal, middle, and apical thirds. On the basis of remaining debris, presence of smear layer, and patency of dentinal tubules, each canal was evaluated according to a scale form 0 to 2. A statistical analysis was used to indicated any significant differences in surface condition between the two methods. There was no statistical significance between hand instrumentation and ultrasonic instrumentation at the cervical third but removing efficiency of ultrasonic instrumentation was superior. No statistically significant differences were obhserved for middle or apical third.