Multidimensional Analysis of Canal Transportation and Centering Ability of WaveOne Gold and ProTaper Next File Systems in Curved Root Canals

Introduction: Advances in endodontic instrumentation are centered around innovation of variable metallurgy and designs of endodontic files to reduce procedural errors. However, there is a lack of consensus in the literature with regard to the shaping ability of WaveOne Gold (WOG) and ProTaper next (PTN) endodontic file systems in the curved root canals. This study aimed to measure and compare the amount of canal transportation (CT) and centering ability (CA) in the coronal, middle, and apical thirds of root canals prepared using the WOG file and PTN system using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: A total of sixty single-rooted teeth with Type I Vertucci canal and moderate 10-30^° canal curvature according to AAE guidelines were collected and divided into two groups: Group 1: WOG system, Group 2: PTN. Baseline and post-operative CBCT scans were obtained for all the specimens using the same exposure parameters. The CT and CA of each root canal at 3, 6, and 9 mm, corresponding to the coronal, middle, and apical third, were calculated. The data was analyzed using SPSS. The level of significance was kept at 0.05. Results: At the 6 mm level, The WOG system exhibited statistically less canal transportation (CT) in mesio-distal dimension compared to PTN (P=0.005). The direction of transportation was predominantly towards the distal and lingual aspects for both systems. The centering ability (CA) of WOG was statistically higher than that of PTN at 9 mm level (P=0.023). However, all measured transportation values for both systems fell within the clinically acceptable threshold of <0.15 mm. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this in vitro study, both the WOG and PTN Next file systems prepared moderately curved root canals with clinically acceptable accuracy, maintaining canal transportation within a safe range. The observed statistical differences are of uncertain clinical significance given the measurement resolution of CBCT.