Dental and medical instruments comprising titanium

An endodontic instrument or device for use in performing root canal therapy on a tooth, the endodontic instrument or device prepared by a method comprising:

• (a) providing an elongate shank comprising a superelastic alloy including titanium, nickel, and at least one additional metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lanthanum, manganese, molybdenum, niobium, silicon, tantalum, tin, vanadium, and zirconium;
• and
• (b) after step (a), heat-treating the entire shank, wherein the heat-treated shank has increased fatigue life compared to a shank of same composition and size not treated in accordance with step (b), and
• wherein the fatigue life is determined by a cyclic fatigue analysis based on ISO Standard 3630-2 Dental root-canal instruments—Part 2:
• Enlargers and ANSI/ADA Specification No. 95, for Root canal enlargers.

An endodontic instrument or device for use in performing root canal therapy on a tooth, the endodontic instrument or device prepared by a method comprising:

• (a) providing an elongate shank comprising a superelastic alloy including titanium, nickel, and at least one additional metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lanthanum, manganese, molybdenum, niobium, silicon, tantalum, tin, vanadium, and zirconium;
• and
• (b) after step (a), heat-treating the entire shank,
• wherein the heat-treated shank has an angle greater than 10 degrees of permanent deformation after torque at 45° of flexion when tested in accordance with ISO Standard 3630-1.