[A scanning electron microscope study comparing the cleansing effect of the irrigating solutions and irrigating...

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of various irrigating solutions and irrigating debris and the smear layer from the walls of instrumented root canals. 20 single-rooted teeth were biomechanically instrumented to size 40 K-file using sterile saline. And then the teeth were divided into 4 groups and 5 teeth in each group. Groups were irrigated as follows: Group 1: Teeth were irrigated with 20 ml of sterile saline. Group 2: Teeth were irrigated with 10 ml of 3% H2O2 and 10 ml of 2.5% NaOCl using the syringe. Group 3: Teeth were irrigated with 10 ml of 3% H2O2 and 10 ml of 2.5% NaOCl using the ENAC. Group 4: Teleth were irrigated with 10 ml of 17% EDTA and 10 ml of 2.5% NaOCl using the Endo-mate. All specimens were viewed at the cervical, middle, and apical thirds of the root canals for evaluation of the cleaning effect with the scanning electron microscope. The results were as follows: 1. The Endo-mate with EDTA and NaOCl solutions was the most efficient in cleaning the cervical and middle thirds of the root canal. 2. There was no difference between the irrigating solutions and irrigating systems in the cleaning effect at the apical third of the root canal.