The Efficacy of Three Rotary Systems (Reciproc Blue, WaveOne Gold, and AF Blue R3) in Preparing Simulated, Highly Curved Root Canals: An In Vitro Study

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of three rotary, single-file, and reciprocating systems in terms of preparation time and canal centralization in simulated highly curved root canal preparation. Materials and methods The study sample consisted of 45 simulated canals with a curvature of 40°. They were randomly distributed into three experimental groups: Group 1-Reciproc Blue; Group 2-WaveOne Gold; and Group 3-AF Blue R3. A glide path was established by #10 hand K-file, then red dye was colored on the simulated canals, and photographs of the sample were taken before preparation. Then, the canals of each group were prepared, and other photographs were taken after preparation. The images of the two phases were combined using AutoCAD, where the canal was divided into three parts and the preparation area was measured from the right and left sides of each part of the canal. The preparation time for each system was also measured. Results While there were no statistically significant differences in the rate of preserving canal centralization in the middle and apical thirds between preparation groups, a statistically significant difference was found in the coronal third, as the Reciproc Blue and WaveOne Gold systems have a greater ability to maintain the centrality of the canal compared to the AF Blue R3 system. While there were no statistically significant differences between the Reciproc Blue and WaveOne Gold systems in the coronal third, as for the preparation time, it was found that there were statistically significant differences in the preparation time between the groups in favor of the WaveOne Gold system. Conclusion Both preparation systems (Reciproc Blue and WaveOne Gold) maintained the anatomical shape and canal centrality, with more cons for WaveOne Gold compared to the Reciproc Blue system. Regarding the volumetric changes, AF Blue R3 had the greatest changes compared to the Reciproc Blue and WaveOne Gold systems. WaveOne Gold Group, in terms of canal preparation time, showed the least time among the investigated groups.