Usage Parameters of Nickel Titanium Rotary Files: a Survey of Dentists in Saudi Arabia

Nickel-titanium rotary file (NTRF) usage parameters were surveyed among dentists in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire encompassing the NTRF usage parameters was emailed to all members of the Saudi Dental Society. Data were collected from participants and analyzed using chi-square tests. The response rate was 90.1% (n = 246). Of these respondents, 42.3% endodontists used NTRF in all of their cases (p < 0.001). Almost 60% of the general dentists group reported the use of the crowndown technique in conjunction with NTRF (p < 0.001), and 48% of members of the endodontist and Saudi Board in Endodontics group did not change the way they accessed cavities when using NTRFs. While 52% of the general dentists used sodium hypochlorite with a concentration of 1–3% (p < 0.001), 15% of the rest used saline only for irrigation. The majority of general dentists (58.5%) used an NTRF for 2–4 patients (p d” 0.03) compared to 48.1% of the endodontists. Separation of the NTRF was the most common problem reported by dental clinicians using it (80%, p < 0.05), while the second most common problem was poor cleaning and shaping (26.8%, p < 0.001). About 53.8% of endodontists reported that they had experienced NTRF separation with e”6 files during usage (26.9%). Further research into the preparation and irrigation techniques used in conjunction with NTRFs is required, and in particular, efforts should be directed towards reducing file separation, as it was the most common clinical complication reported by all groups. More hands-on training is needed in order to demonstrate proper usage of NTRFs, and render the practitioner more familiar with the product and help reduce the incidence of separation of NTRFs.