OBJECTIVE: This ex vivo study evaluated the effect of pre-flaring and file size on the accuracy of the Root ZX and Novapex electronic apex locators (EALs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The actual working length (WL) was set 1 mm short of the apical foramen in the palatal root canals of 24 extracted maxillary molars. The teeth were embedded in an alginate mold, and two examiners performed the electronic measurements using #10, #15, and #20 K-files. The files were inserted into the root canals until the "0.0" or "APEX" signals were observed on the LED or display screens for the Novapex and Root ZX, respectively, retracting to the 1.0 mark. The measurements were repeated after the preflaring using the S1 and SX Pro-Taper instruments. Two measurements were performed for each condition and the means were used. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to verify the intra- and inter-examiner agreement. The mean differences between the WL and electronic length values were analyzed by the three-way ANOVA test (p<0.05). RESULTS: ICCs were high (>0.8) and the results demonstrated a similar accuracy for both EALs (p>0.05). Statistically significant accurate measurements were verified in the pre-flared canals, except for the Novapex using a #20 K-file. CONCLUSIONS: The tested EALs showed acceptable accuracy, whereas the pre-flaring procedure revealed a more significant effect than the used file size.

The objective of this study was to determine the ecological relationships between bacterial species that colonize infected root canals. Root canal bacteria recovered from one patient with pulp canal necrosis were evaluated in vitro for synergistic and antagonistic activities determined by mono and co-culture growth kinetics and the production of bacteriocin-like substances using the double layer diffusion method. Peptostreptococcus prevotii triggered a significant increase of Fusobacterium nucleatum growth, while the former bacteria did not affect the growth of P. prevotii. The bacterial species did not produce antagonism activity against itself or against any of the other two species. Despite many studies have demonstrated the capability of root canal microorganisms to produce antagonistic substances, these in vitro experimental tests show the synergistic effect of P. prevotii on the growth of F. nucleatum.

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the time required for removal of intraradicular cast posts cemented with zinc phosphate (ZF) or glass ionomer cement (GIC), using two Brazilian ultrasound devices (BUD). Seventy two human inferior premolars with single root canals were sectioned transversally at the cementoenamel junction. In each specimen, the root canal was endodontically treated, the post space was prepared to a depth of 9 mm and the canal was molded to obtain a post impression. After the casting procedures, the posts were randomly distributed into 2 groups (n = 36) according to the luting material used: G1 - ZF and G2 - GIC. The tooth and luted post set was then embedded in an acrylic resin block. The groups were then divided into 3 subgroups (n = 12) according to the ultrasound device used: A - Enac (Osada Electric, Japan), used as a control group; B - Profi II Ceramic (Dabi Atlante, Brazil) and C - Jet Sonic Satelec (Gnatus, Brazil). The posts were submitted to the vibration process with maximum power set on all surrounding surfaces. Time of application was recorded with a chronometer until complete post dislodgment, and the data were analyzed by the ANOVA test (p < 0.05). The averages required for post removal in G1 and G2 were respectively 41.42 and 92.03 seconds, with significant statistical difference (p = 0.001). No statistical difference was observed among the three ultrasound devices (p = 0.088), and the BUD presented a performance similar to that of the international gold standard device (Enac). Moreover, the type of luting agent had a greater influence on the time required for post removal than the origin of the ultrasonic unit.