Evaluation of Remaining Dentin Thickness of the Distal Portion of the Mesial Root of Mandibular Molar with Protaper Gold, Neoendo and Stainless Steel (SS) Hand K Files Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography for Analysis.

Aim: To evaluate the remaining dentin thickness of the distal portion of the mesial root of mandibular molar with stainless steel (SS) hand K files, ProTaper Gold and NeoEndo using cone beam computed tomography for analysis. Materials and Methods: Forty-five extracted human mandibular molars were collected. Teeth were randomly assigned to three groups (n=15). Samples were stabilized on blocks of wax. The working length for each sample was determined at 1 mm short from the apical foramen by using a ISO size #15 K file. Preparation was carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions and canals were instrumented upto apically for each group. After each instrumentation, root canals were irrigated with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite solution followed by 17% EDTA solution. Final irrigation was done with normal saline. Post cleaning and shaping, cone beam computed tomography scans of all samples in the three groups were collected. Result: Protaper Gold and NeoEndo removed more dentin than SS hand file. As the mean remaining dentin thickness for SS K file, Neoendo and Protaper was 1.30, 1.05 and 0.80mm respectively   Conclusion: Protaper Gold, NeoEndo and SS Hand files showed statistically significant difference in remaining dentin thickness of root canal length. Therefore, it was concluded that Protaper Gold file system showed a greater amount of removal of dentin as compared to NeoEndo file system & SS Hand K files.