Demirhan Uygun.

J Dent Res Dent Clin Dent Prospects 2020; 14(3): 177-180

doi:10.34172/joddd.2020.032

https://joddd.tbzmed.ac.ir

Original Article

Cyclic fatigue resistance of VDW.ROTATE and Reciproc Blue nickel-

titanium files at root canal temperature
Ahmet Demirhan Uygun1*
Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Afyonkarahisar Sağlık Bilimleri University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
1

ARTICLE INFO Absrtact

Background. This study aimed to compare the VDW.ROTATE instruments with the Reciproc Blue
Article History: instruments in different kinematics in terms of the cyclic fatigue resistance.
Received: 1 Mar. 2020 Methods. Sixty instruments, 40 VDW.ROTATE and 20 Reciproc Blue instruments, were divided into
Accepted: 1 Jul. 2020 three groups (n=20): VDW.ROTATE was used in both continuous rotation and reciprocation, and
ePublished: 21 Sep. 2020 Reciproc Blue was used in reciprocation only. The cyclic fatigue resistance test was carried out in an
artificial canal (°60, r=3 mm) at an intracanal temperature of °2±35C until fracture, and the time to
Keywords: fracture was recorded in seconds. The data were analyzed statistically using Kruskal–Wallis and
Cyclic fatigue, Tamhane’s T2 tests (P<0.05).
Kinematics, Results. DAll the reciprocating motion groups resulted in a longer mean duration to failure than the
Reciprocation, continuous rotation motion group (P<0.05).
VDW.ROTATE Conclusion. It was observed that the Reciproc Blue instruments had higher cyclic fatigue resistance
than VDW.ROTATE instruments (P<0.05). Recent studies have shown that reciprocal movement
increases cyclic fatigue resistance compared to rotational movement. The VDW.ROTATE instrument,
which has a similar size, design, and alloy as the Reciproc Blue instrument, can also be used by clinicians
in reciprocating motion with endo motors capable of reciprocating in different directions. However,
even if the cyclic fatigue resistance increases by using VDW.ROTATE instruments in reciprocation, the
cyclic fatigue resistance is lower than Reciproc Blue instruments.

Introduction Munich, Germany), a multi-instrument system, is

N
also manufactured by VDW. This innovative system
ickel‒Titanium (NiTi) instruments with
offers a wide range of instruments for different
superelasticity and shape memory have been
clinical cases: (15/.04), (20/.05), (25/.04), (25/.06),
preferred by clinicians, especially in the preparation
(30/.04), (35/.04), (40/.04), (50/.04), (60/.04),
of curved root canals since their first use by Walia et
(30/.06), (35/.06), and (40/.06). Instruments with an
al1 in 1988. Despite the increased physical properties
S-shaped cross-section are used with clockwise (CW)
of NiTi instruments, instrument fracture in the root
rotary motion, as indicated by the system name.7
canal, albeit infrequent, has been a serious concern
The most important difference between these two
for clinicians.2,3 Cyclic fatigue, one of the two main
similar instrument systems produced by the same
instrument fracture mechanisms, results from stress
manufacturer is that one is a reciprocal single-file
due to successive tension/compression periods at the
system, and the other is a rotary multi-file system. In
canal’s most inclined point.4
addition, these instrument systems perform cutting
In recent years, manufacturers have developed
by rotating in different directions.
production techniques that are patented and
In the first instance, after the glide path was
not fully disclosed to achieve better mechanical
performed, the canal preparation in the reciprocal
properties in NiTi instruments, such as fracture
motion was completed with a single NiTi instrument
resistance, cutting efficiency, and flexibility. The
by Yared.8 After this, the reciprocal motion became
Reciproc Blue system (VDW, Munich, Germany), a
increasingly popular, and instruments designed to be
single-instrument system, has a similar morphology
used in reciprocal movement became commercially
to the previous Reciproc system. However, unlike
available. When researchers compared reciprocal
the Reciproc system produced with M-wire
and rotary movements, it was seen that the
technology, the Reciproc Blue system is produced
reciprocal movement had some advantages in some
with a new heat treatment technology. As a result,
parameters.9
the system has a blue titanium oxide layer on its
Studies that examined the effect of continuous
surface, with increased flexibility and cyclic fatigue
rotation and reciprocal movements with different
resistance.5,6 The VDW.ROTATE system (VDW,
*Corresponding author: Ahmet Demirhan Uygun. Tel:+90- 02722167900 Email:[email protected].
©2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Demirhan Uygun

angles on the cyclic fatigue resistance of instruments Results

have shown that continuous rotation motion
Significant differences were observed among the
significantly decreased the fracture strength of the
groups in terms of the time to fracture (P<0.001)
instruments.10,11 On the other hand, NiTi instruments
(Table 1). Statistical analysis revealed that Reciproc
used with rotary motion are still marketed and
Blue instruments exhibited significantly better
preferred by clinicians.
resistance than the VDW.ROTATE groups in the
There is no evidence that the manufacturer’s
artificial stainless steel canal used in this study
selected motion is the best choice concerning cyclic
(P<0.05). Also, statistical analysis showed that
fatigue resistance. Thus, this study aimed to compare
when the VDW.ROTATE instruments were used in
the cyclic fatigue resistance of two innovative NiTi
reciprocal motion, the fracture resistance increased
instruments, Reciproc Blue R25 and VDW.ROTATE
compared to the rotation motion (P<0.05). The
(25/.06), by disabling the effect of motion. The null
mean of the LDF for Reciproc Blue instruments was
hypothesis was that there would be no significant
significantly higher than that for the VDW.ROTATE
difference between the Reciproc Blue and VDW.
groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference
ROTATE instruments in different kinematics.
in LDF when VDW.ROTATE instruments were used
Methods in rotation or reciprocal motion (P>0.05).
Twenty Reciproc Blue R25 instruments and 40 VDW. Discussion
ROTATE instruments with a tip size of #25 and 0.06
This study compared the cyclic fatigue resistance of
taper were used in this study. The instruments were
Reciproc Blue and VDW.ROTATE instruments used
inspected for manufacturing defects using a dental
in continuous rotation and reciprocation kinematics.
operating stereomicroscope (Novex, Arnhem,
The null hypothesis was rejected because there were
Holland) at ×15 magnification before the cyclic
statistically significant differences between these two
fatigue test, and no instruments were excluded from
instruments, even if the VDW.ROTATE instruments
the experiment.
were used in reciprocation.
The cyclic fatigue resistance test was carried out in
In the past, most cyclic fatigue resistance studies
a custom-designed device that simulated an artificial
were performed at room temperature, but this did
canal made of stainless steel, with a 60° angle of
not reflect clinical conditions, as the root canal had a
curvature and a 3-mm radius of curvature located
different temperature. The environmental conditions
5 mm from the tip of the instrument at 35±2°C in
in which the cyclic fatigue test is performed
saline solution. The custom-designed device was
affect the fracture resistance as well as motion
adjustable in three dimensions and provided the
kinematics, metal alloy, and physical properties of
standard position for each instrument. In all the
the instruments.12-14 According to the results of the
groups, the instruments were operated at 300 rpm
in vivo studies wherein a limited number of root
with an electric motor and contra-angle handpiece
canal temperature was measured, the root canal
that enabled adjustable rotary and reciprocating
temperature was found to range between 31°C and
kinematics in both CW and counterclockwise
35°C.15,16 Accordingly, in this study, a cyclic fatigue
(CCW) directions until fracture occurred. The
resistance test was performed in saline solution at
experimental groups in the study were as follows
35°C (±2°C) using a custom-made temperature
(n=20 for each group):
control device.
1. VDW.ROTATE: CW continuous rotary motion
Some previous studies have found a significant
was used for instrumentation at 300 rpm.
difference between the mean LDF.17-19 Differences
2. VDW.ROTATE (in reciprocation motion): A
in the designs and alloys of the instruments might
reciprocal motion, CW=150° and CCW=30°, was
change the positions of the maximum stress points.
used for instrumentation at 300 rpm.
In this study, the mean LDF was significantly
3. Reciproc Blue: A reciprocal motion, CCW=150°
different in the Reciproc Blue instruments compared
and CW=30°, was used for instrumentation at 300
to the VDW.ROTATE instruments, and there was no
rpm.
significant difference in LDF when VDW.ROTATE
A stopwatch was used to monitor the time to
instruments were used in different kinematics. The
fracture in seconds. The lengths of the detached
low standard deviation of the groups, rather than
fragments (LDF) were measured by a digital caliper.
The fractured surfaces of the six instruments were Table 1. The mean and standard deviation values for
evaluated under a scanning electron microscope the time to fracture (TTF) in seconds and the length
(LEO 1430 VP, Zeiss Oberkochen, Germany). (mm) of the detached fragments (LDF) of the tested
instruments
The Kruskal–Wallis H test was then performed
TTF LDF
to statistically analyze the time to fracture, and
VDW.rotate 134.7±9.7a 4.59±0.05a
Tamhane’s T2 test was used to determine any
VDW.rotate (rec) 384.4±24.1b 4.58±0.04a
statistical significance between the two instruments.
Reciproc Blue 407.3±29.3 c
5.92±0.11b
The statistical significance level was set at 5% (SPSS Different superscript letters indicate a statistically significant difference
v.23.0; IBM Corp, Armonk, NY). (P<0.05).

178 | J Dent Res Dent Clin Dent Prospects , 2020, Volume 14, Issue 2
Demirhan Uygun

the absence of difference between the groups, might higher fracture resistance than the rotation motion
indicate that standardization is achieved in the group, consistent with previous studies.10,11,25,26
cyclic fatigue resistance test. However, previous literature shows that the stress
Previous studies have shown that reciprocal concentrated on the NiTi instruments in the
movement prolongs the files’ usage time compared continuous rotation motion at a certain point
to the rotation movement.11,20 Therefore, in a study decreases by reversing the reciprocal motion,
performed to compare these files with similar and how this difference occurs has not been fully
physical properties, it was predicted that the VDW. revealed. Gambarini et al27 claimed that a full
ROTATE instruments used with rotation motion rotation cycle was completed with more reciprocal
might have lower fracture resistance than Reciproc cycles in the reciprocating movement, and that
Blue instruments used with reciprocal motion. To the reciprocating cycle required more time for one
eliminate the effect of motion kinematics, the VDW. full rotation. Therefore, lower speed and a higher
ROTATE instruments were tested and compared number of reciprocating cycles provide increased
with the motion of the Reciproc Blue, and the cyclic fatigue resistance.
number of groups increased to three. According to the results of this study, the cyclic
Reciproc Blue files are recommended for use fatigue resistance of Reciproc Blue instruments was
in a reciprocation mode where the angles of significantly higher than that of VDW.ROTATE
motion and speed cannot be changed in endo instruments, both in rotation and reciprocation
motors manufactured by the same company. In kinematics. To the best of our knowledge, as there
the reciprocation mode, the motion and speed is no study on VDW.ROTATE in the literature, the
angles are CCW = 150° and CW = 30° and 300 current results cannot be compared with those of
rpm, respectively.21 However, VDW.ROTATE is any other study. The VDW.ROTATE instrument
recommended for CW continuous rotation at 300- consists of a series of heat-treated, blue instruments,
400 rpm.22 Since the direction of cutting edges of such as the Reciproc Blue instrument.
the instruments is designed differently, one cuts Moreover, in the scanning electron microscopy
the dentin in CW while the other cuts the dentin images of the fractured surfaces, it has an S-shaped
in CCW direction. Accordingly, this study used an cross-section similar to Reciproc Blue (Figure 1).
endo motor capable of reciprocal and rotary motion However, there was a statistical difference between
in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and these two instruments, and the findings of this study
in which angles and speed can be adjusted. could be attributed to differences in instrument
Previous studies on endodontic motors have designs. This must be confirmed by further in vitro
claimed that endo motors do not work under investigations.
the reciprocation angle values given by their
Conclusions
manufacturer. First, Fidler23 claimed that the
kinematic of reciprocation is more complicated Within the limitation of the study, Reciproc Blue
than it seems, as it is described only using angles and instruments exhibited significantly more cyclic
rotational speed, and the actual kinematic values of fatigue than VDW.ROTATE instruments. When
VDW Silver (VDW, Munich, Germany) and ATR using the VDW.ROTATE instruments with the
Tecnika (Tecnika, Pistoia, Italy) endodontic motors reciprocal motion, the resistance to fracture
differ from those declared by their manufacturers.
Irmak and Ozgur24 showed inconsistency between
the reciprocal angle values of the endodontic motor
X-Smart Plus and the values given by the company.
They also showed differences in reciprocal angle
values between new and used endodontic motors. In
the present study, the Genius Eze endodontic motor
was preferred because it can rotate and reciprocate
clockwise and counterclockwise at different angles.
However, to the best of our knowledge, there was
no study examining the accuracy of this motor’s
reciprocal motion values. This is the only limitation
of the present study. Considering the possibility
that the endodontic motor does not work under
the actual values, the Reciproc Blue R25 and VDW.
ROTATE (25.06) instruments were compared in Figure 1. Scanning electron microscopic appearances
the same reciprocating mode. Only the direction of of the Reciproc Blue and VDW.rotate instruments
after cyclic fatigue testing. The fracture surface view
the motion was changed. The data obtained in the of Reciproc Blue (A), VDW.rotate (C), and a high-
study were assumed to be accurate, and statistical magnification view of the Reciproc Blue (B) and VDW.
evaluation was performed. rotate (D) instruments. The crack initiation origins
In this study, reciprocal motion groups exhibited (arrows) are observed in the fracture surface.
J Dent Res Dent Clin Dent Prospects, 2020, Volume 14, Issue 2 | 179
Demirhan Uygun

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