• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the obturation efficiency of a non-standardized gutta-percha cone in curved root canals prepared with 0.06 taper nickel-titanium instruments. Sixty simulated curved root canals in clear resin blocks were prepared with crown-down technique using 0.06 taper rotary $ProTaper^{TM}$and ProFile (Dentsply-Maillefer) until apical canal was size 30. Root canals were randomly divided into 4 groups of 15 blocks and obturated with cold-laterally compacted gutta-percha technique by using either a non-standardized size medium gutta-percha cone or an ISO-standardized size 30 one as a master cone. Gutta-percha area ratio were calculated at apical levels of 1, 3 and 5 mm using AutoCAD 2000 after cross-sectioning, and the data were analyzed with one-way and two-way ANOVAs and Duncan's multiple range test. Non-standardized size medium cone groups showed significantly higher gutta-percha area ratio than standardized cone groups at all apical levels (p < 0.01). Non-standardized cone groups used significantly less accessory cones than standardized cone groups (p < 0.01).