# ProTaper Gold vs WaveOne Gold Dentsply Sirona [TR](https://endo-guide.app/tr/compare/protaper-gold-vs-waveone-gold) ## ProTaper Gold® Dentsply Sirona The Gold Standard [View protocol →](https://endo-guide.app/system/protaper-gold) ## WaveOne Gold® Dentsply Sirona Single File Reciprocation [View protocol →](https://endo-guide.app/system/waveone-gold) Clinical Tip Choose ProTaper Gold for complex anatomy requiring multiple tapers. Choose WaveOne Gold for efficiency in routine cases with single-file simplicity. ## When to choose which Choose ProTaper Gold when - the canal has a coronal curve you want to keep: in S-shaped resin canals Gold held the coronal curvature better and centred better at 4 to 6 mm from the apex (PMID 35028067) - you prepare with student operators on resin blocks and apical deviation is the metric you track: Gold deviated less apically than WaveOne Gold in one 36-student series (PMID 39590413) - you want the smallest dentin removal at the 2 mm level in single-rooted teeth: Gold removed the least there in one CBCT study (PMID 39881914) Choose WaveOne Gold when - you want one file per canal and shorter chair time: WaveOne Gold Primary finished S-shaped resin canals in 170.75 s against 245.75 s for the Gold sequence (PMID 34656099) and 3D-printed molar canals in 218 s against 446.6 s in novice hands (PMID 41937231) - the mesial molar canal is curved and apical transportation is the concern: WaveOne Gold transported less than Gold in the apical and middle thirds of mesiolingual canals (PMID 41937231) and at 3, 5 and 7 mm in 25 to 30 degree mesiobuccal roots (PMID 31620381) - you want the less aggressive cut in the body of the canal: WaveOne Gold removed less resin along most of an S-shaped canal (PMID 35028067) and less dentin at 5 and 8 mm in single-rooted teeth (PMID 39881914) ## What the comparative evidence shows 10 comparative full-text studies read for this pair Ten comparative full texts were read for this pair: five shaping studies in extracted teeth, three in resin or 3D-printed canals, one dentinal-defect study and one student-operator series. Both systems carry Dentsply's Gold heat treatment, but they differ in almost everything else: Gold is a five-file rotary sequence with a convex triangular cross-section and an 8 % apical taper on F2, WaveOne Gold Primary is a single reciprocating file with an off-centred parallelogram and a 7 % apical taper. In extracted teeth the shaping results split by method. In 45 mesiobuccal roots with 25 to 30 degrees of curvature, Gold transported more and centred less at 3, 5 and 7 mm and removed more dentin volume than WaveOne Gold, in a design where each file prepared three canals (PMID 31620381). In 40 mandibular molars with 10 to 20 degrees of curvature imaged by synchrotron micro-CT, apical transportation did not differ between the two systems (PMID 33885391). In 96 mesiobuccal canals prepared to large apical sizes, mesiodistal transportation was the same for both, Gold sat in the higher group for buccolingual transportation and WaveOne Gold in the lower, and WaveOne Gold had the lowest mesiodistal centring at 4 mm below the furcation (PMID 29456772). In single-rooted teeth Gold removed the least dentin at 2 mm from the apex while WaveOne Gold removed the least at 5 and 8 mm (PMID 39881914). In simulated S-shaped canals the two files trade thirds. WaveOne Gold removed less resin at most levels and stayed more centred at the apex, while Gold centred better and transported less at 4 to 6 mm and preserved the coronal curvature better; neither transported more than 0.2 mm apically and no file fractured (PMID 35028067). A second S-shaped series found more transportation with Gold at 2 and 3 mm and a longer preparation time, 245.75 s against 170.75 s (PMID 34656099). A third resin-block study found no difference in shaping capacity between the two (PMID 35591361). Two studies put the files in student hands. Twenty-one sophomore students shaping 3D-printed mandibular molars produced less transportation with WaveOne Gold in the apical and middle thirds of the mesiolingual canal and in the middle third of the mesiobuccal canal, better centring with WaveOne Gold in the middle and apical mesiolingual levels but better centring with Gold at the coronal level, a shorter time (218 s against 446.6 s per tooth) and a 90.48 % preference for WaveOne Gold; no file separated (PMID 41937231). Thirty-six third-year students on S-shaped resin blocks deviated less apically with Gold (0.073 mm against 0.081 mm), caused more mid-cervical wear with WaveOne Gold, took the same time with both (6 min 27 s against 6 min 34 s) and rated Gold highest for satisfaction (PMID 39590413). On dentinal defects, straight premolars sectioned after preparation showed cracks or craze lines in 40 % of Gold roots, 53.3 % of WaveOne Gold roots and 30 % of ProTaper Next roots, with more apical defects after the reciprocating file; each instrument set prepared four canals (PMID 35017937). The micro-CT microcrack study of this pair is paywalled and was not read. No head-to-head cyclic-fatigue study of these two files was among the obtained full texts, and the two clinical outcomes that matter most, postoperative pain and healing, were not compared in any of them. ## Head to head | Axis | ProTaper Gold | WaveOne Gold | What the studies show | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Transportation and centring | More transportation in 25–30° mesiobuccal roots and in S-shaped apical curves; better centring at 4–6 mm and coronally | Less transportation apically in several models; more centred at the apex; lower centring at one furcation level | Five extracted-tooth and three simulated-canal studies with mixed methods; one found no difference (PMID 31620381, PMID 33885391, PMID 29456772, PMID 35028067, PMID 34656099, PMID 35591361, PMID 41937231) | | Dentin removal | Least at 2 mm in single-rooted teeth; more resin along S-shaped canals; more volume in curved molar roots | Least at 5 and 8 mm in single-rooted teeth; less resin along S-shaped canals; more mid-cervical wear in student hands | CBCT volume and level data plus resin measurements (PMID 39881914, PMID 31620381, PMID 35028067, PMID 39590413) | | Dentinal defects | 40 % of straight premolar roots | 53.3 % of straight premolar roots, more of them apical | Sectioning study, instruments reused across four canals; micro-CT microcrack study paywalled (PMID 35017937) | | Files per canal and time | Five-file sequence; 245.75 s per S-shaped resin canal; 446.6 s per 3D-printed molar tooth in novice hands | One file; 170.75 s and 218 s in the same series; equal to Gold in the 36-student series | Times from three studies with different operators and models (PMID 34656099, PMID 41937231, PMID 39590413) | ## Frequently asked 01 Which transports the canal less, ProTaper Gold or WaveOne Gold? Answer It depends on the level and the model. - 01 WaveOne Gold transported less in the apical third of curved mesial molar canals and in 25 to 30 degree mesiobuccal roots (PMID 41937231, PMID 31620381), Gold centred better at 4 to 6 mm and coronally in S-shaped resin canals (PMID 35028067), and two studies found no difference (PMID 33885391, PMID 35591361). - 02 No study read for this page saw either file exceed 0. - 03 3 mm apically. 02 Is WaveOne Gold faster than ProTaper Gold? Answer In two series a single Primary file finished the canal in roughly two thirds to half the time of the Gold sequence (PMID 34656099, PMID 41937231); in a third, with student operators on resin blocks, the two took the same time (PMID 39590413). 03 Which is better for a beginner? Answer The two student studies disagree on the quality metric but not on the experience: novices transported less with WaveOne Gold and 90 % preferred it (PMID 41937231), while another cohort deviated less apically with Gold and rated it highest (PMID 39590413). - 01 Both reported no file separations. 04 Does either file crack dentin more? Answer In one sectioning study of straight premolars, defects appeared in 53. - 01 3 % of WaveOne Gold roots against 40 % of Gold roots, with more apical defects after reciprocation (PMID 35017937). - 02 The micro-CT microcrack comparison of the same three systems is paywalled and was not read. 05 What are the motor settings side by side? Answer ProTaper Gold runs at 300 rpm with torque by file, 5 to 6 Ncm for SX and S1, 1. - 01 5 to 2 Ncm for S2 and F1, 3 to 4 Ncm for F2 to F5 per the current EUR IFU. - 02 WaveOne Gold runs on the WaveOne ALL preset reciprocation programme. - 03 The full protocol pages list both. ## References 1. Singh S, Abdul MSM, Sharma U, et al. An in vitro comparative evaluation of volume of removed dentin, canal transportation, and centering ratio of 2Shape, WaveOne Gold, and ProTaper Gold files using cone-beam computed tomography. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2019. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31620381/) 2. Yenubary P, Anil CK, Singh B. Synchrotron radiation-based micro-computed tomographic analysis of apical transportation of different nickel-titanium rotary systems in curved root canals: an in vitro study. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2021. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33885391/) 3. Mamede-Neto I, Borges ÁH, Alencar AHG, et al. Multidimensional analysis of curved root canal preparation using continuous or reciprocating nickel-titanium instruments. Open Dent J. 2018. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29456772/) 4. Utwal S, Bansal M, Agarwal AA, et al. Comparative evaluation of remaining dentin thickness using manual ProTapers, ProTaper Gold, and reciprocating WaveOne Gold in single-rooted teeth with cone-beam computed tomography: an in vitro study. Cureus. 2024. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39881914/) 5. Shi L, Zhou J, Wan J, et al. Shaping ability of ProTaper Gold and WaveOne Gold nickel-titanium rotary instruments in simulated S-shaped root canals. J Dent Sci. 2022. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35028067/) 6. Kim H, Jeon SJ, Seo MS. Comparison of the canal transportation of ProTaper GOLD, WaveOne GOLD, and TruNatomy in simulated double-curved canals. BMC Oral Health. 2021. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34656099/) 7. Orel L, Velea-Barta OA, Sinescu C, et al. Comparative assessment of the shaping ability of Reciproc Blue, WaveOne Gold, and ProTaper Gold in simulated root canals. Materials (Basel). 2022. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35591361/) 8. Keerthy A, Hong HY, Kim JR. Micro-computed tomographic evaluation of shaping ability by novice dental students and their preference of nickel-titanium file; rotation versus reciprocation system. Int Endod J. 2026. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41937231/) 9. Ginjeira A, Baruwa AO, Baumotte K. Evaluation and comparison of manual and mechanical endodontic instrumentation completed by undergraduate dental students on endodontic blocks. Dent J (Basel). 2024. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39590413/) 10. Koroth S, Ponnappa KC, Simon EP, et al. Evaluation of root dentinal damage associated with ProTaper Gold, WaveOne Gold, and ProTaper Next during cleaning and shaping procedures: an in vitro analysis. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2021. [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35017937/) ## Specifications | — | ProTaper Gold | WaveOne Gold | | --- | --- | --- | | Manufacturer | Dentsply Sirona | Dentsply Sirona | | Alloy | Gold Heat-Treated NiTi | NiTi with proprietary Gold heat treatment | | Heat Treatment | Gold Heat-Treated | Gold Heat-Treated | | Motion | Continuous Rotation | Reciprocating | | Files | 8 | 5 | | Taper | Variable | Variable | | Cross-section | Convex triangular, Concave triangular | Parallelogram | | Speed | 300 RPM | — | | Torque | 1.5–5 Ncm | — | | Use Type | Reusable (limited) | Single-use | ## Best For ProTaper Gold versatile multi-file sequencecomplex anatomygraduated shaping WaveOne Gold single-file efficiencyroutine casesreduced cross-contamination ## Key Features ProTaper Gold Variable taper design with progressive engagement WaveOne Gold Single-file reciprocating system — one glider + one shaping file for most cases, with dedicated WaveOne/WaveOne Gold motor settings [ProTaper Gold Full protocol](https://endo-guide.app/system/protaper-gold)[WaveOne Gold Full protocol](https://endo-guide.app/system/waveone-gold) ## Related Clinical Links Manufacturer pages [Dentsply Sirona Systems](https://endo-guide.app/manufacturer/dentsply-sirona) Motion categories [Continuous Rotation](https://endo-guide.app/category/continuous-rotation)[Reciprocating Motion](https://endo-guide.app/category/reciprocating) Related comparisons [ProTaper Gold vs ProTaper Ultimate](https://endo-guide.app/compare/protaper-gold-vs-protaper-ultimate)[ProTaper Gold vs ProTaper Next](https://endo-guide.app/compare/protaper-gold-vs-protaper-next)[ProTaper Gold vs TruNatomy](https://endo-guide.app/compare/protaper-gold-vs-trunatomy)[WaveOne Gold vs ProTaper Ultimate](https://endo-guide.app/compare/protaper-ultimate-vs-waveone-gold)[WaveOne Gold vs ProTaper Next](https://endo-guide.app/compare/protaper-next-vs-waveone-gold)[WaveOne Gold vs TruNatomy](https://endo-guide.app/compare/trunatomy-vs-waveone-gold) Independent educational reference. Always consult official manufacturer Instructions for Use (DFU) before clinical procedures. [Found an error? Let us know](https://ig.me/m/endoleventyuksel) ![Uzm. Dt. Levent Yüksel](https://endo-guide.app/images/levent-yuksel.jpg) Reviewed by Uzm. Dt. Levent Yüksel DDS · Endodontist Endodontist — DDS, Hacettepe University; endodontics specialty training, Ankara University. 10+ years of clinical experience. Sole author and reviewer of EndoGuide content. [About the author](https://endo-guide.app/about)[Editorial policy](https://endo-guide.app/editorial-policy)[Clinical profile](https://drleventyuksel.com/) Powered by:[Uzm. Dt. Levent Yüksel](https://www.instagram.com/endoleventyuksel/) [@endoguideapp](https://www.instagram.com/endoguideapp/) Independent educational resource. 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