Comparative Evaluation of ProTaper Gold, TruNatomy, and XP-endo Shaper Instruments on Dentinal Microcrack Formation: Scanning Electron Microscope Study

Aim:The aim of this study was to compare dentinal crack formation in root canal walls after instrumentation with TruNatomy (TN), XP-endo Shaper (XP), and ProTaper Gold (PTG) files under a scanning electron microscope (SEM).Materials and methods: A total of 24 single-rooted teeth were selected.Teeth with any detectable fractures or cracks, calcifications, or previous root canal procedures were excluded.The teeth were randomly divided into three experimental groups (n = 8) as follows: Group A: TN, Group B: PTG, Group C: XP.Following root canal procedures, irrigation with water was used to section the roots at 3, 6, and 9 mm from the apex.To check for cracks, the pieces were examined under an SEM at a magnification of 100× in all directions.The data were analyzed using the Chi-square test.Results: ProTaper Gold produced a greater number of cracks than TN and XP files.There was a statistically significant difference in microcracks produced by PTG, XP-endo, and TN at coronal and apical levels (p = 0.001), while at middle level it was non-significant.Conclusion: All files produced dentin cracks, however, PTG produced the highest number of cracks, followed by TN and XP.