Dentsply Sirona

www.dentsplysirona.com

save

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 5. December 2025

save

CHARLOTTE, N.C., US. A comprehensive clinical study has shown that endodontic treatment protocols incorporating Reciproc instruments (Dentsply Sirona) support superior treatment outcomes compared with traditional approaches. The landmark research, which compared three endodontic protocols, spanned 25 years and involved 14,233 treated teeth, represents one of the largest in vivo studies ever conducted in endodontics.

The retrospective observational cohort study, conducted by researchers at universities in Egypt and Germany, compared outcomes of three endodontic treatment protocols over an extended follow-up period. The first protocol incorporated preparation with stainless steel hand files and syringe irrigation with sodium hypochlorite; the second used stainless steel hand files for glide path preparation and multiple-file rotary nickel–titanium systems thereafter, as well as passive ultrasonic irrigation with sodium hypochlorite, citric acid and occasionally chlorhexidine; and the third used Reciproc instruments for preparation and passive ultrasonic irrigation with EDTA and then sodium hypochlorite.

The third protocol was found to be superior in terms of long-term tooth survival and reduced need for reintervention. It achieved 30%–40% higher tooth survival rates without further interventions, a 66% lower incidence of non-surgical retreatments, a 57% lower incidence of surgical retreatment and a 21% lower incidence of tooth extraction.

The authors wrote: “While we cannot be entirely certain, the findings give a hint that the superior performance of Protocol 3 might be attributable to the specific features of the Reciproc system. In this context, it is important to note that achieving patency at the canal terminus has been found to increase the odds of success substantially, by more than twofold.”

“This study provides strong clinical evidence that treatment protocols incorporating Reciproc instruments significantly enhance endodontic outcomes,” Dr Ghassan Yared, inventor of single-file endodontics with reciprocating motion and the RECIPROC blue instruments, commented in a press release.

Mathias Kraus, vice president of endodontic solutions at Dentsply Sirona, added: “The study validates what we’ve observed in practice: that Reciproc technology enables better outcomes for patients. Having robust clinical evidence spanning 25 years and over 14,000 cases gives endodontists the confidence to adopt protocols that can significantly improve their workflow success rates.”

The study, titled “Influence of different endodontic treatment protocols on tooth survival: A retrospective cohort study with multistate analysis and group balancing”, was published in the October 2025 issue of the International Endodontic Journal.