To explore the influence of a contracted endodontic access cavity on the risk of canal transportation in the danger zone of the mesial root canal of mandibular first molars (MFMs) using a one-curve preparation system, and to provide an experimental basis for the clinical selection of a better pulp approach.

Twenty MFMs extracted for severe periodontal disease that met the inclusion criteria, including intact coronal roots, mesial roots with two separate root canals, mesiobuccal canal (MB) and mesiolingual canal (ML), and a curvature of 0° to 20°, were selected. Subsequently, these MFMs were randomly divided into two groups based on the endodontic access design, including the traditional endodontic access cavity (TEC) group and the contracted endodontic access cavity (CEC) group. In the TEC group, the pulp chamber roof of the tooth was completely removed, while in the CEC group, the pulp chamber roof and peri-cervical dentin were preserved as much as possible. Then, the One Curve single file was adopted to conduct root canal preparation. Next, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed on extracted teeth before and after preparation, and the measurement sections were located at 0-7.0 mm below the root bifurcation of the mesial root canal at 1 mm intervals. The minimum wall thickness on the mesial and distal aspect of the root canal was measured in each section.

① Prepreparation CT measurements of 20 MFMs showed that the danger zone in the range 0-4 mm under root bifurcation, a mean thickness of 1.18 mm on the mesial aspect of the MB root canal and 1.08 mm on the distal aspect. The mean thickness of the ML root canal was 1.28 mm on the mesial aspect and 1.07 mm on the distal aspect. ② Compared with that of the traditional endodontic access cavity, no significant difference in the decrease of wall thickness was observed in the danger zone of mesial root canal of MFMs in the contracted endodontic access cavity (t = 1.319, P = 0.19). ③ In the mesiobuccal canal, compared with the apical transportation of the traditional endodontic access cavity, which tends to be more mesial side, the apical transportation of contracted endodontic access cavity tends to the distal side. In the mesiolingual canal, both apical transportation groups tended to be on the distal side.

When using the One Curve file, compared with traditional endodontic access, the contracted endodontic access cavity based on the minimally invasive concept does not increase the risk that the mesial root canal of mandibular first molars is transported.