Introduction: This ex vivo study aimed to evaluate the shaping abilities and preservation of dentin with traditional and modern instruments after using sizes 25 and 40 in oval canals of mandibular incisors with conservative access.

Method: Thirty mandibular incisors with single straight oval canals were selected and assigned into 2 groups (n 5 15) according to the instrument system used during preparation, Slim Shaper (SS) plus Apical Shaper (AS) and Protaper Gold (PG). The samples were subjected to micro-computed tomography before and after preparation with sizes 25 and 40. The shaping parameters evaluated included canal volume and surface area, amount of unprepared root canal walls, and reduction in pericervical dentin.

Results: Canal volume and surface area were significantly increased after enlargement with each instrument size (P , .01). The percentage of unprepared areas showed a significant intragroup decrease after using PG F2 and F4 or SS 3 and AS (P , .05). Intergroup comparison showed no significant differences. Pericervical dentin was reduced in all groups. The intragroup comparison only revealed a significant reduction (P , .01) between PG F2 and F4. In addition, a significant decrease in pericervical dentin (P , .05) was observed between PG F4 40/.06 and AS 40/.03. No significant differences were observed between PG F2 25/.08 and SS 3 25/.04.

Conclusion: Increasing the instrumentation size from 25 to 40 significantly reduces the percentage of unprepared areas regardless of the system used. In addition, using a modern system with a regressive taper allows the maintenance of pericervical dentin without compromising shaping efficacy in the apical third of the mandibular incisors with oval canals and conservative access. (J Endod 2023;-:1–8.)