Methods: seventy new stainless steel and nickel-titanium endodontic files have been used to instrumentation the roots canals of extracted teeth and then cleaned using the three selected methods: ultrasound, brushing and association of manual brushing and ultrasound bathing. The active part of the files from each group was evaluated using scanning electronic microscopy and statistical analysis.
Results: the difference in the cleaning ability of the three methods was statistically significant. Manual brushing associated with ultrasound bathing provide better results. The efficacy of the tested methods was not affected by the manufacturing process or type of alloy used.
Conclusions: the association between manual brushing and ultrasound bathing provide the most efficient method for removing debris from the surface of endodontic files and that the nature of the alloy and the manufacturing technique of the endodontic files used did not interfer in the final results of the tested cleaning methods.