Method: Forty-five human extracted single-rooted teeth with mature apices were used for the study and divided into three groups of 15 teeth each. All teeth were embedded in an alginate model and the electronic measurements were taken following the manufacturers’ orientations. Then the teeth were cleared and photographed under a stereomicroscope with a digital camera. The distance from the file tip to the major foramen was measured by using image analysis software program. Positive or negative values were recorded when the file tip was longer or shorter than the major foramen and a zero value was recorded when the file tip and the major foramen coincided. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and Chi-square tests at a significance level of 0.05.
Result: The mean distances from the file tip to the major foramen were 0.164 ± 0.292, -0.162 ± 0.234, 0.341 ± 0.166 mm in the DentaPort ZX, SIROEndo Pocket, and Rootor groups, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that there was a significant difference between SIROEndo Pocket, and Rootor (p<0.05). However, no significant difference was found between DentaPort ZX and other EALs (p>0.05).
Conclusion: All EALs showed an acceptable determination of the major foramen within the range of ± 0.5 mm.