Objectives: A successful root canal preparation depends not only on complete debris removal but also on an adequate preparation form. Undesirable preparation effects such as straightening, elbowing etc. are supposedly reduced with rotary nickel-titanium preparation systems. The aim of this study was to compare the influence of three different rotary preparations systems on the final root canal preparation form. Methods: The rotary systems included in this study were the FlexMaster (VDW / Munich, Germany), ProFile and GT-Files (Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). Simulated root canals in plastic blocks were used (n=30). The canals were dyed and scanned prior to any instrumentation procedure. The root canal preparation was made with the specific crown down technique for each system. An EndoStepper motor with the specific software (S.E.T. / Olching, Germany) for each system was employed with all preparation systems. After the root canal preparation was completed the canals were once more scanned. Reposition of the scans obtained prior to and after root canal preparation was possible through marks made for this purpose in the plastic blocks. The material removal at the concave and convex side of the canals was measured at ten different levels (1 to 7 and 9, 11 and 13mm from apical) by means of a software (Adobe Photoshop 5.5). The axis of the original canal served as reference point. The results were compared with a theoretically ideally prepared root canal and analyzed with the Wilcoxon test (p=0.05). Results: The FlexMaster system showed a slight straightening tendency at the apical third of the root canals. The results showed that preparation form was not significantly transported from the ideal preparation form at all levels with exemption of the FlexMaster and GT-Files systems on the convex side at levels 1 and 11 respectively. Conclusions: A clinical adequate final root canal preparation form can be achieved and reproduced with rotary preparation systems.

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