COMPARISON OF BALANCED FORCES, ENDOSONIC, AND STEP-BACK FILING INSTRUMENTATION TECHNIQUES - QUANTIFICATION OF EXTRUDED APICAL DEBRIS

Randomly assigned groups of 15 single-canal, extracted human teeth were instrumented by one of three techniques: balanced forces, endosonic, or step-back filing. Debris extruded from the apical foramen during instrumentation was collected onto preweighed filters using a suction filtration apparatus. Following desiccation, weight determinations were made on an analytical electrobalance. A one-factor analysis of variance was performed on the debris weight data revealing that the endosonic technique apically extruded significantly more debris than the balanced forces technique (p<0.05). Further analysis of the data, excluding debris weights greater than 1 SD from the mean, using a one-factor analysis of variance revealed the balanced forces technique apically extruded significantly less debris than either endosonic or step-back filing techniques (p<0.05). No significant difference was demonstrated between endosonic and step-back filing techniques. © 1990 The American Association of Endodontists.