Design feature of NiTi rotary

files:
 Content:
 Introduction
 Generations with mains rotary files.
1. Tip design
2. Flutes
3. Cutting edge
4. Radial land
5. Rake angle
6. Helical angle
7. Pitch
8. Cross section
9. Taper
 conclusion
Introduction
 Stainless steel instruments have a natural
tendency to straighten curved canals due to
its inherent stiffness and as it could not follow
curvatures even in moderately curved canals.
They had thus to be precurved to reach length,
which in turn forced operators to use them
exclusively in filing motion.

 This resulted in a high incidence of procedural

errors, such as ledges, elbows, zipping,
strippings, and perforations.
 In 1960 a novel nickel-titanium alloy was
developed by William Buehler in Silver
Springs, Maryland at the United States Naval
Ordinance Laboratory -NITINOL where NOL
stands for Naval Ordnance Laboratory).

 In 1988, Dr. Harmeet D. Walia et al proposed

Nitinol for shaping canals, as it is 2 to 3 times
more flexible, in the same file sizes, compared
to stainless steel.
 Standardization of endodontic instruments:
 By ingle and Levin Diameter:
D0: tip diameter, which is 1/100 in mm
of the number. Eg for 10 no file D0 =
10/100= 0.10 mm.

Cutting blade is 16 mm

D16 : diameter of instrument the

16mm away from cutting tip.
angle formes 75+- 15

Tapper: in 2% tapper d16 is 0.32

time more than D0.
The difference in 1mm away from
D0 to D1 is 0.02 mm
Eg. D0= 0.10mm
D1= 0.10+0.02= 0.12mm
diameter
 GENERATIONS OF ROTARY SYSTEMS
First generation niti files
They have passive cutting radial lands and fixed tapers of
4% and 6% over the length of their active blades

This generation of technology required numerous files to

achieve the preparation objectives. By the mid to late
1990s, GT files (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties)
became available that provided a fixed taper on a single
file of 6%, 8%, 10%, and 12%.

The single most important design feature of first generation

NiTi rotary file was passive radial lands, which encouraged
a file to stay centered in canal curvatures during work.
 second generation
 This generation of NiTi rotary files came to market
in 2001

 The critical distinction of this generation of

instruments is they have active cutting edges and
require fewer instruments to fully prepare a canal.

 Alternating contact points were added to

discourage the taper lock and the resultant screw
effect associated with both passive and active
fixed tapered NiTi cutting instruments
The clinical breakthrough occurred when ProTaper
(Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties) came to
market utilizing multiple increasing or decreasing
percentage tapers on a single file. This
revolutionary, progressively tapered design limits
each file’s cutting action to a specific region of
the canal and affords a shorter sequence of files to
safely produce deep Schilderian shapes
THIRD GENERATION

Improvements in NiTi metallurgy became the

hallmark of
what may be identified as the 3rd generation of
mechanical
shaping files. In 2007, manufacturers began to focus
on utilizing heating and cooling methods to reduce
cyclic fatigue and improve safety when rotary NiTi
instruments work in more curved canals.

 This 3rd generation of NiTi instruments significantly

reduces cyclic fatigue and, hence, broken files.
 FOURTH GENERATION
 Another advancement in canal preparation
procedures utilizes reciprocation, which may be
defined as any repetitive up-and-down or back-
and-forth motion. This technology was first
introduced in the late 1950s by the French
dentist, Blanc.
 innovation in reciprocation technology led to a
4th generation of instruments for shaping canals.
This generation of instruments and related
technology has largely fulfilled the long hoped-
for single-file technique. ReDent-Nova (Henry
Schein) introduced the Self Adjusting File (SAF
 This file has a compressible open tube design
that is purported to exert uniform pressure on
the dentinal walls, regardless of the cross-
sectional configuration of the canal. The SAF
is mechanically driven by a handpiece that
produces both a short 0.4 mm vertical
amplitude stroke and vibrating movement
with constant irrigation.
 FIFTH GENERATION
 The 5th generation of shaping files has been designed such
 that the center of mass and/or the center of rotation are
offset. In rotation, files that have an offset design
produce a mechanical wave of motion that travels along
the
active length of the file.
Like the progressively percentage
tapered design of any given ProTaper file, this offset design
serves to further minimize the engagement between the file
and dentin.

In addition, an offset design enhances augering

debris out of a canal and improves flexibility along the active
portion of a PTN file.
Terminologies:

 1. TIP DESIGN: there are 2 main functions of

the instruments: form a glide path and
penetrate deeper into the canal.
 Studies have shown the tip design to affect the
file control and efficacy and outcome in shaping
the root canal system.
 Tip designs are classsified as :

1. cutting tip.
2. non cutting tips. ( batt tips)
3. Partially cutting tips
 Non cutting or batt tips are created by
grinding the tip of the instrument.
 For niti instruments rounded non cutting files
are used and hence are also called as safe
cutting tips.
  Powell et al pointed out that when this tip
“angle” is reduced, the file stays centered
within the original canal and cuts all sides
(circumference) more evenly. This modified-tip
file has been marketed as the Flex-R-file. 
1Manmohan R Soni,
Journal of Dental & Oro-facial
Research Vol 10 Issue 2 Jul-Dec
2.Flutes

Flutes in a file is a grove in the working surface used

to collect soft tissue and dentin chips from the walls
of the canal.

•effectiveness of the fluets depends on its

1.Depth
2.Width
3.Configuration
4.Surface finish.
 3. Cutting edge.
 The surface with the greatest diameter that
follows the groove (where the flute and land
intersect) as it rotates, forms the leading
(cutting) edge, or the blade of the file.

 Significance : The cutting edge forms and

deflects chips from the wall of the canal and cut
or snags soft tissue. Its effectiveness depends on
its angle of incidence and sharpness.
 4. Radial land
 Some instruments have a feature between
trailing and cutting edge that forms a larger
contact area with thw radicular wall this surface is
known as radial land.

 Such a land is thought to reduce the tendency of

the file to thread into the canal. it also supports
the cutting edge and limits the dept of cut and it s
width determines its effectiveness.

 On the other hand landed files are typically less

cutting compaied to triangular files
 Functions of land
• Prevents ‘‘screwing in’’ of the file
• Supports the cutting edge
• Limits the depth of cut
• Reduces the propagation of microcracks on its
circumference.
• Maintains the file in the centre of root canal
To reduce the frictional resistance ,some of the
surface area of the land that rotates against the
canal wall amy be reduced to form a relief.
 Wide lands can be very useful in small
diameter files as it increases rigidity and
enables the file to negotiate curvatures when
canal enlargement is minimal.

 • When lands present in the files are too wide

for effective canal enlargement then the files
can be used very effectively for removing
gutta percha from the canal
5. Rake angle:
 If a file is sectioned perpendicularly to its
long axis, the rake angle is the angle
formed by the leading cutting edge and the
radius of the file through the point of
contact with the radicular wall.

 If the angle formed by the leading edge

and the surface to be cut is acute, the rake
angle is said to be negative or scraping

 Most conventional endodontic files utilize a

negative or “substantially neutral” rake
angle
 If the angle formed by the leading edge and
the surface to be cut (its tangent) is obtuse,
the rake angle is said to be positive or cutting.
Positive rake angles will cut more efficiently
than neutral rake angles, which scrap the
inside of the canal.
 However rake angle may not be same as the
cutting angle.

 The cutting angle or effective rake angle is a

better indication of the cutting ability of a file
and is obtained by measuring the angle
formed by the cutting (leading) edge and the
radius when the file is sectioned perpendicular
to its cutting edge. 
 6. Helical angle
 The helical angle is the angle that the cutting
edge makes with the long axis of the file.

 As a rotary file works in a canal, the dentinal

debris needs to be removed quickly and
effectively. Files with a constant helical flute angle
allow debris to accumulate, particularly in the
coronal part of the file.

 Additionally, files that maintain the same helical

angle along the entire working length will be more
susceptible to the effect of “screwing in” forces.
 By varying the flute angles, debris will be
removed in a more efficient manner and the
file will be less likely to screw into the canal.

In the K3, the helical angle increases from the

tip to the handle. The result of this design is
more successful
channeling that allows for superior debris
removal.
The RaCe file is unique and utilizes an
“alternating helical design” that reduces
rotational torque by using spiraled and non
spiraled portions along the working length.
This design feature also reduces the tendency
of the file to get “sucked into” the canal.
 7. Pitch
 Pitch is the number of spirals or threads or flutes
per unit length. Screws historically have had a
constant pitch. The result of a constant pitch and
constant helical angles is a “pulling down” or
“sucking down into” the canal.

 This is particularly significant in rotary

instrumentation when using files with a constant
taper.
K3 file has been designed with constant tapers,
but with variable pitch and helical angles. The
result is a dramatic reduction in the sense of
being “sucked down into” the canal.

 ProTaper has continuously changing pitch and

helical angle which reduces the screwing
effect.
8. Cross section.
9. Tapper
  It is expressed as the amount of file diameter
increases each millimeter along its working
surface from the tip towards the file handle.

 SIGNIFICANCE: The ability to determine cross-

sectional diameter at a given point on a file
can help the clinician to determine the file
size in the point of curvature and the relative
stress being placed on the instrument. 
 The I each successive file is only engaging a
minimal aspect of the canal wall. Therefore,
frictional resistance is reduced and requires less
torque to properly run the file.

 The popular GT Series of files consist of three

different instrument sequences, GT20, GT30 and
GT40, according to ISO size and employs a varying
taper (10%, 8%, 6%, 4%) while the Quantec files
use a graduated increase in taperdea behind
variable or graduating tapers is that
 The Protaper System features a progressive
taper along its shank. One of the benefits of
such a design, according to the manufacturer,
is reduced torsional loading16
conclusion
 The combination of the use of contemporary available
modern devices and files with a solid base of
anatomical and biological knowledge will lead to a
predictably higher quality of root canal treatment, thus
helping to preserve the patient’s dentition for several
years. At the same time, it is apt to remember that
perfection ultimately depends more on the operator
than the instruments. Instruments cannot, at any time,
replace the nimble and skillful fingers of an
endodontist.
Profile 29 series
 -ve RAKE ANGLE
 Recommended speed: 150-300 rpm- Cleaning
& shaping.

Series 29
 The rate of increment between file sizes in
this series is constant i.e. 29%. • length -
21mm, 25mm
 The current set includes: • 20, 30, 40 Series –
taper 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%

 Size 50,70,90 - available in 0.12 Accessory

Series with 12% taper. The maximum
diameter of these files is 1.5 mm, similar to
that of a # 6 GG (gates-glidden) drill 120
  VARIABLE HELICALANGLE Protaper files have
changing helical angle and pitch over their
cutting blades which reduces the potential of an
instrument from screwing into the canal.