OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between the extent of cutting of the root canal wall and the root fracture strength and the stress distribution.

METHODSFifteen pairs of root sections were into 3 groups with canal wall thickness of 1.00 mm, 0.75 mm and 0.50 mm respectively. The maximum load was tested required for fracture for each group through fracture test in a universal testing machine, and compared with that for the original canal. The stress and its distribution of the root with normal wall thickness (1.2 mm) and roots with 75%, 50% and 25% respectively of the normal wall thickness were examined by three-dimensional finite analysis. The maximum Von Mises stress of the root of each model was calculated.

RESULTSThe mean fracture strengths of the groups with canal wall thickness of 1.00 mm, 0.75 mm and 0.50 mm were (4 432.41 +/- 563.59) N, (4 137.43 +/- 680.29) N and (3 749.87 +/- 554.17) N respectively. The maximum load of fracture resistance is a linear function of the root canal wall thickness (r = 0.972, P < 0.001). The three-dimensional finite analysis revealed that the enlargement of root canal diameter brought on increase of stress of root canal wall, and the stress and its distribution altered with further decrease of the wall thickness. The stress of lateral loading was greater than that of vertical loading.

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggests that clinical root canal treatment should be designated to remove just the infected tissue and avoid over-cutting of the hard tissue.