Does Root Canal Shaping Effect the Accuracy of Electronic Apex Locators in Curved and Straight Root Canals?

Objective: To assess the influence of root canal preparation (RCP) on the precision of electronic apex locators (EALs) in both straight and curved root canals. Methods: The experimental setup included forty-two extracted human mandibular molars featuring both straight distal canals (0-10 degrees) and curved mesial root canals (30-50 degrees). Initial working length (AWL1) measurements were conducted under a stereomicroscope at X15 magnification prior to root canal preparation (RCP). Subsequently, electronic working length (EWL1) was determined using two different electronic apex locators (EALs) – Propex-Pixi and EndoRadar. RCP was carried out with ProTaper Ultimate F1, F2 files in mesial canals, and F1, F2, F3 files in distal straight root canals. The RCP procedure involved the implementation of a standard irrigation protocol along with the use of a sonic device for activation. Following RCP, measurements were repeated under a stereomicroscope and documented as AWL2. EWL measurements were also repeated and recorded as EWL2 after the preparation. The variation was calculated by subtracting AWL from EWL for each tooth (EWL1-AWL1 and EWL2-AWL2). Statistical analysis employed Paired Sample t-test and Wilcoxon tests. Results: There was no statistically significant difference observed in the accuracy of Propex-Pixi and EndoRadar Pro before and after root canal preparation for both straight and curved canals. Conclusion: Root canal preparation did not alter the accuracy of the electronic apex locators (EALs) used in this study, whether applied to curved or straight root canals.