Lateral condensation in canals prepared with nickel titanium rotary instruments: an evaluation of the use of three different master cones.

Forty-five single-rooted teeth were instrumented with ProFile ISO .06 nickel-titanium rotary instruments and obturated with lateral condensation using three different master cones: an ISO-standardized gutta-percha cone (group A), a Dia-ISO(GT).06 gutta-percha cone (group B), and a size medium gutta-percha cone (group C). Obturation efficiency in each group was evaluated by recording the number of accessory cones utilized. To evaluate obturation quality in the three groups, a cross-sectional observation of the ability of the gutta-percha in each group to obliterate the prepared canal space was carried out. Results showed that obturation efficiency was significantly greater in groups B and C than in group A. There was no significant difference in obturation quality between any of the three groups.