Endodontic Materials Flashcards
What are the categories that endodontic materials can be split into? (7)
- Instruments
- Irrigants
- Intra-canal medicaments
- Obturation materials
- Sealers
- Pulp capping materials
- Root-end filling materials
When are endodontic instruments used?
- Used in the mechnical phase of chemomechanical disinfection
What are endodontic instruments and what are they used for? (4)
- Metal files used to remove soft and hard tissues
- Removes micro-organisms
- Creates spaces for disinfectants/medicaments
- Creates appropriate shape for obturation
What are the physical properties of endodontic instruments that we wouls want to consider? (8)
- Stress
- Stress concentration point
- Strain
- Elastic limit
- Elastic deformation
- Shape memory
- Plastic deformation
- Plastic limit
What is stress?
- Deforming force measured across given area
- Tensile/compressive/shear/torsional
What is the stress concentration point?
- Abrupt changes in the geometric shape of a file that leads to a higher stress at the point
Why, when preparing or manufacturing endodontic instruments must the manufacturers pay particular attention to the surface characteristics and the ultimate finish of the instrument?
- Because the instruments have quite complex geometric shapes and following manufacturing they might have inherent disruptions in the surfaces which can lead to concentration of stresses at certain points - these are points at which failure of an instrument can occur
What is strain?
- Response of a material to stress
- Amount of deformation a file undergoes during use
What is the elastic limit?
- A set value representing the maximal strain that when applied to a file, allows the file to return to original dimensions
What is elastic deformation?
- Reversible deformation that does not excees elastic limit
What is plastic deformation?
- Permanent bond displacement occurring when the elastic limit is exceeded
What is the plastic limit?
- The point at which the plastic deformed file breaks
- We want to avoid this at all costs
There are 2 types of failure predominantly in instruments. One of them is cyclic fatigue. What is this?
- This is when an instrument is freely rotatin within a curved canal
- Because the instrument is rotating what we eventually see is a tension/compression cycle which leads to work hardening and ultimately failure - this is termed cyclic fatigue
There are 2 types of failure predominantly in instruments. One of them is torsional fatigue. What is this?
- This is the other type of fatigue that we see
- We have an instrument that is in the canal, it binds to the dentinal walls and is rotated
- The bound portion does not rotate like the driven portion of the instrument and we start to see an increase in the rotation with an increase in torque
- So we start to pass through this elastic phase, reach the elastic limit and start to undergo plastic deformation and then ultimately failure
- So torsional fatigue - the binding of an instrument at one point whilst the other portion is rotated will lead to torsion (a twisting force) and then plastic deformation and failure at the end of the plastic phase
What are ways in which we can prevent endodontic instrument fracture? (7)
- Training and proficiency in the NiTi system of choice
- Create a manual glide path (creates space for the tip of these instruments so we don’t develop torsional fatigue)
- Employ a crown-down instrumentation technique to ensure straight line access
- Use an electric speed and torque controlled motor
- NiTi files should be used in constant motion using gentle pressure
- Avoid triggering or disable the sutoreverse mode
- Use of rotary files in abruptly curved or dilacerated canals should be avoided
There are a large number of instruments that can be used in endodontics. Give examples of classifications of these? (6)
- Manually operated (hand instruments)
- Low-speed instruments
- Engine-driven nicket-titanium rotary instruments
- Engine-driven instruments that adapt to canal shape
- Engine-driven reciprocating instruments
- Ultrasonic instruments
What are the components of stainless steel? (4)
- Alloy of iron, carbon, and chromium
- Nickel may also be present
Why would we use stainless steel over carbon steel for endodontic instruments?
- The alloy composition of this material inproves the properties over that of carbon steel so prevents rusting
Which metal within stainless steel prevents rusting?
- 13-26% chromium prevents rusting
- There is a passivation layer of chromium oxide which prevents the degradation of the instrument
How are stainless steel endodontic instruments manufactured? (5)
- Machined stainless steel wire
- Square/triangular twisted
- Work hardening occurs (twisting of the stainless steel creates work hardening which makes the properties better)
- Machine stainless steel wire into desired shape
- Work hardening occurs (which again improves the physical properties and so makes them better for use in the root canal)
What is work hardening?
- Strengthening of a metal by plastic deformation
- Crystal structure dislocation
- Dislocations interact and create obstructions in crystal lattice
- Resistance to dislocation formation develops
- Observed work hardening
What is Nitinol?
- Equiatomic alloy of nickel and titanium
- Exotic metal - does not conform to typical rules of mettalurgy
- Super-elasticity - application of stress does not result in usual proportional strain
How can the NiTi crystal structure be altered?
- Temperature dependent structures martensite and ausetnite
- Crystal lattice structure altered by temperature or stress
- Characters and porportions determine mechanical properties of the metal
What is NiTi like in its martensite form?
- It is soft and ductile and easily deformed
What is NiTi like in its austenite form?
- Quite strong and hard
What is shape memory?
- Shape memory alloys are materials that can be deformed at one temperature but when heated or cooled, return to their original shape
What are the components of an endodontic rotary instrument? (6)
- Taper
- Flute
- Leading/cutting edge
- Land
- Relief
- Helix angle
What is the taper of an endodontic rotary instrument?
- Diameter change along working surface
What is the flute of an endodontic rotary instrument?
- Groove to collect dentine and soft tissue
What is the leading/cutting of an endodontic rotary instrument?
- Forms and deflects dentine chips (these are the edges that allow us to cut dentine)
What is the land of an endodontic rotary instrument?
- Surface extending between flutes
What is the relief of an endodontic rotary instrument?
- Reduction in surface of land (the lands being carved out to create a different behaviour within the root canal
- So lands and reliefs may modify the friction which is in between the instrument and the dentine that it is cutting - so it changes the forces that are applied to the instruments and the ease at which it cuts
What is the helix angle of an endodontic rotary instrument?
- Angle cutting axis forms with long axis of file (this affects how the isntrument works within the canal and it may encourage widining in or it may diminish the need for an instrument to drag the user into the canal)
What is the function of the positive rake angle?
- Provides the active cutting action of the K3
What is the function of third radial land?
- Stabilizes and keeps the instrument centred in the canal and minimises ‘over-engagement’
What is the function of wide radial land?
- PRovides blade support while adding peripheral strength to resist torsional and rotary stresses