Electrochemical dissolution of fractured nickel-titanium instruments in human extracted teeth.

Aim: To assess the effect of sodium chloride concentration in fluoridated solutions during the electrochemical dissolution of fractured rotary endodontic instruments.

Methodology: Two solutions were assessed (solution 1: NaF 12 g L  + NaCl 1 g L , pH = 5.0; and solution 2: NaF 12 g L  + NaCl 180 g L , pH = 5.0) using two tests: the ProTaper Universal F1 (PTU F1) instrument polarization test and the polarization test for intracanal PTU F1 fragments fractured in mandibular incisors. In the first test, two sets of five instruments were separately and partially immersed in each solution, and the electrical current was evaluated over 30 min. In the second test, 45 PTU F1 instruments were fractured within the root canals of mandibular incisors and subjected to potentiodynamic polarization for 30 min. The electrical current and the variations in the length of PTU F1 fragments were measured. The data were analysed statistically (anova and Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests, respectively).

Results: Solution 2 was associated with more corrosive effects in both tests. In the first test, the PTU F1 instruments immersed in solution 2 had a higher electrical current (P < 0.001) and had a total dissolution time of approximately 540 s. In the second test, a larger difference between the baseline and final lengths of the fragments was noted in solution 2 (P = 0.011).

Conclusion: Saturation of fluoridated solution with sodium chloride led to an increase in electrical current and microscopic reductions in the length of fractured instrument fragments subjected to electrochemical dissolution.