COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ROOT CANAL SHAPING ABILITY OF ProTaper GOLD, WaveOne GOLD, RECIPROC BLUE, and HyFlex CM: A NARRATIVE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.3(51).2026.6536Keywords:
Endodontics, Root Canal Preparation, Nickel-Titanium Instruments, ProTaper Gold, WaveOne Gold, Reciproc Blue, HyFlex CMAbstract
The mechanical preparation of the root canal system is a fundamental component of contemporary endodontic treatment, aiming to facilitate effective disinfection while preserving the original anatomy and structural integrity of the tooth. The development of heat-treated nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys and novel rotary and reciprocating kinematics has resulted in numerous instrumentation systems with different mechanical properties and shaping strategies. Among the widely used systems, ProTaper Gold, WaveOne Gold, Reciproc Blue, and HyFlex CM have demonstrated distinct characteristics regarding canal shaping, dentin removal, transportation, centering ability, preparation time, and resistance to instrument fracture.
The aim of this narrative review is to critically evaluate and compare the shaping performance of these four NiTi instrumentation systems, with particular emphasis on the amount of dentin removed, preservation of the original root canal anatomy, canal transportation, centering ability, preparation efficiency, and resistance to cyclic fatigue. A comprehensive literature search was performed using major biomedical databases, with particular consideration given to micro-computed tomography and cone-beam computed tomography studies, systematic reviews, and comparative experimental investigations published in peer-reviewed journals.
Current evidence indicates that all four systems are capable of producing predictable root canal preparations while maintaining relatively good canal centering. However, differences in instrument design, alloy treatment, taper, cross-sectional geometry, and kinematics may influence their shaping behavior. Reciprocating systems such as WaveOne Gold and Reciproc Blue may provide efficient preparation and favorable resistance to cyclic fatigue, whereas ProTaper Gold demonstrates effective shaping ability with controlled dentin removal. HyFlex CM, characterized by its controlled memory alloy, offers considerable flexibility and may be advantageous in anatomically complex and curved canals. Nevertheless, direct comparisons remain limited by substantial methodological heterogeneity among available studies.
The available evidence suggests that instrument selection should be individualized according to root canal anatomy, curvature, preparation requirements, and the clinician's experience. Further standardized clinical and micro-computed tomography studies are required to establish definitive differences between contemporary NiTi instrumentation systems.
References
Orel, L., Velea-Barta, O. A., Sinescu, C., Duma, V. F., Nica, L. M., Horhat, R. M., et al. (2022). Comparative assessment of the shaping ability of Reciproc Blue, WaveOne Gold, and ProTaper Gold in simulated root canals. Materials (Basel), 15(9), 3028. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15093028
Yılmaz, Ö. S., Keskin, C., Keleş, A., Yiğit, A., & Arı, İ. C. (2026). Shaping ability of ProTaper ultimate, ProTaper Gold, and Reciproc Blue in the mesiobuccal canals of maxillary first molars: A micro-computed tomography study. Odontology, 114(3), 1769-1780. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10266-026-01381-9
Utwal, S., Bansal, M., Agarwal, A. A., Karmveer, G., Malani, P., Jauhari, R., et al. (2024). Comparative evaluation of remaining dentin thickness using manual protapers, ProTaper Gold, and reciprocating WaveOne Gold in single-rooted teeth with cone-beam computed tomography: An in-vitro study. Cureus, 16(12), e76610. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.76610
Khandeparkar, A. N. S., de Noronha de Ataide, I., & Fernandes, M. (2023). A cone-beam computed tomographic analysis of total dentin removed, canal transportation, and canal-centering ability following instrumentation with three different file systems: An in vitro study. J Conserv Dent Endod, 26(5), 574-578. https://doi.org/10.4103/JCDE.JCDE_19_23
Chinchiyanont, P., Yanpiset, K., Banomyong, D., & Thongbai-On, N. (2023). Shaping ability of non-adaptive and adaptive core nickel-titanium single-file systems with supplementary file in ribbon-shaped canals analysed by micro-computed tomography. Aust Endod J, 49(1), 38-47. https://doi.org/10.1111/aej.12609
Kim, H., Jeon, S. J., & Seo, M. S. (2021). Comparison of the canal transportation of ProTaper Gold, WaveOne Gold, and TruNatomy in simulated double-curved canals. BMC Oral Health, 21(1), 533. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-021-01854-z
Eliasz, W., Kubiak, K., Poncyljusz, W., & Surdacka, A. (2020). Root canal transportation after root canal preparation with ProTaper next, WaveOne Gold, and twisted files. J Clin Med, 9(11), 3661. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9113661
Silva, E. J. N. L., Muniz, B. L., Pires, F., Belladonna, F. G., Neves, A. A., Souza, E. M., et al. (2016). Comparison of canal transportation in simulated curved canals prepared with ProTaper universal and ProTaper Gold systems. Restor Dent Endod, 41(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.5395/rde.2016.41.1.1
Duque, J. A., Vivan, R. R., Cavenago, B. C., Amoroso-Silva, P. A., Bernardes, R. A., de Vasconcelos, B. C., et al. (2017). Influence of NiTi alloy on the root canal shaping capabilities of the ProTaper universal and ProTaper Gold rotary instrument systems. J Appl Oral Sci, 25(1), 27-33. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-77572016-0230
Huang, Z., Quan, J., Liu, J., Zhang, W., Zhang, X., & Hu, X. (2019). A microcomputed tomography evaluation of the shaping ability of three thermally-treated nickel-titanium rotary file systems in curved canals. J Int Med Res, 47(1), 325-334. https://doi.org/10.1177/0300060518801451
Oh, S., Kum, K. Y., Kim, H. J., Moon, S. Y., Kim, H. C., Chaniotis, A., et al. (2020). Bending resistance and cyclic fatigue resistance of WaveOne Gold, Reciproc Blue, and HyFlex EDM instruments. J Dent Sci, 15(4), 472-478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jds.2019.10.003
Isaltino M da, C., de Sousa, W. V., Telles, C. T. V., de Almeida Souto Montenegro, L., Dantas, H. V., de Sousa, F. B., et al. (2025). Shaping ability of the ProTaper Gold and r-motion systems in long-oval canals: A microcomputed tomography study. ScientificWorldJournal, 2025, 5825229. https://doi.org/10.1155/tswj/5825229
De Pedro-Muñoz, A., Rico-Romano, C., Sánchez-Llobet, P., Montiel-Company, J. M., & Mena-Álvarez, J. (2024). Cyclic fatigue resistance of rotary versus reciprocating endodontic files: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Med, 13(3), 882. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13030882
Tavares, S. J. O., Sarmento, E. B., Guimarães, L. S., Antunes, L. A. A., Antunes, L. S., & Gomes, C. C. (2019). The influence of kinematics of engine-driven nickel-titanium instruments on root canal shape assessed by micro-computed tomography: A systematic review. Acta Odontol Scand, 77(5), 347-358. https://doi.org/10.1080/00016357.2019.1570331
Grande, N. M., Castagnola, R., Minciacchi, I., Marigo, L., & Plotino, G. (2023). A review of the latest developments in rotary NiTi technology and root canal preparation. Aust Dent J, 68(Suppl 1), S24-S38. https://doi.org/10.1111/adj.12998
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ewa Jurkowska, Zofia Wiśniewska
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles are published in open-access and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Hence, authors retain copyright to the content of the articles.
CC BY 4.0 License allows content to be copied, adapted, displayed, distributed, re-published or otherwise re-used for any purpose including for adaptation and commercial use provided the content is attributed.
