Effectiveness of Six Irrigation Techniques With Sodium Hypochlorite in Tissue Dissolution

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Technology

Background:

• Complete removal of pulp tissue is a persistent challenge in endodontic procedures.
• Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is a key irrigant for tissue dissolution.
• Optimizing irrigation techniques is crucial for effective root canal disinfection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of six irrigation techniques in dissolving bovine muscle tissue using 3% NaOCl.
• To compare the tissue dissolution rates of laser systems, ultrasonic devices, and conventional needle irrigation.
• To identify the most effective irrigation method for enhancing NaOCl's tissue dissolution capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Seventy bovine muscle tissue samples were divided into seven groups.
• Exposure to different irrigation devices including Er:YAG laser, Er,Cr:YSGG lasers, MUS with CleanFlow, passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), and conventional needle irrigation (CNI).
• Tissue dissolution time and weight loss were measured after 10 minutes of irrigation at room temperature with 3% NaOCl.

Main Results:

• The multisonic ultracleaning system (MUS) with CleanFlow exhibited the fastest tissue dissolution rate (2.986% ± 0.395%/s).
• Laser systems (Er:YAG, Er,Cr:YSGG) showed moderate dissolution rates, significantly higher than PUI and CNI.
• Conventional needle irrigation (CNI) and passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) demonstrated the slowest tissue dissolution rates.

Conclusions:

• MUS with CleanFlow significantly accelerates NaOCl-mediated tissue dissolution compared to other tested methods.
• Laser irrigation systems also offer improved tissue dissolution over conventional techniques.
• The MUS with CleanFlow system holds promise for enhancing the effectiveness of NaOCl in endodontic procedures.