Basic Research — Technology 1 valuation of the Surface Characteristics of Used and ew ProTaper Instruments : An Atomic Force Microscopy tudy

t u C T c bstract he purpose of this study was to evaluate the topogaphy of new and used ProTaper rotary nickel-titanium NiTi) instruments by using atomic force microscope. our new and four used size S1, S2, F1, and F2 instruents were selected for this study. New and used nstruments were analyzed on 11 points along a 3-mm ection at the tip of the instrument. Quantitative meaurements according to the topographic deviations root mean square) were recorded. Data were analyzed y paired samples t test. Mean root mean square values or used ProTaper instruments were higher than the ew ones, and the difference between them was staistically significant. The results of this study showed hat used ProTaper instruments demonstrated more urface deformation and wear. (J Endod 2007;33: 334–1337)