Impact of a Retained Instrument on Treatment Outcome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Fracture of root canal instruments is one of the most troublesome incidents in endodontic therapy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to determine the outcome difference between retained fractured instrument cases and matched conventional treated cases. Methods: The MEDLINE database, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database were searched. Reference lists were scanned. A forward search was undertaken on identified articles. Papers citing these articles were identified through Science Citation Index to identify potentially relevant subsequent primary research. A systematic data extraction sheet was constructed. Data in these studies were independently extracted..