Defects in nickel-titanium instruments after clinical use. Part 5: single use from endodontic specialty practices.

Introduction: Single use of endodontic nickel-titanium (NiTi) instruments has been recommended to reduce instrument fatigue and the possibility of cross-contamination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the defects of three NiTi rotary systems (ProFile series 29 [Dentsply Tulsa Dental Products, Tulsa, OK], ProFile [Dentsply Tulsa Dental Products], and ProTaper [Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland]) that were discarded after single use by two endodontic clinics.

Methods: A total of 1,071 ProFile .