Nanotechnology-based electrochemical approach for effective root canal irrigation

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Nanotechnology
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Root canal treatment (RCT) aims to preserve infected teeth, with irrigation being critical for disinfection.
• Complete root canal disinfection remains a significant challenge in endodontic therapy.
• Existing irrigation methods struggle to achieve total bacterial elimination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel irrigation approach for root canal disinfection.
• To combine electrochemistry and nanotechnology for enhanced antibacterial efficacy.
• To assess the cytotoxicity and cytocompatibility of the optimized irrigation technique.

Main Methods:

• An electrochemical setup with a -5 V potential was used with saline and 5 μg/mL Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs).
• Cytotoxicity was tested against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms, and cytocompatibility was assessed using human cell lines (MG63, gingival fibroblasts, osteoblasts).
• Bacterial viability (CFU), cell morphology (SEM, TEM), and cell viability assays were performed.

Main Results:

• The optimized irrigation technique with 5 μg/mL ZnO NPs demonstrated over 90% cell viability in human cell lines at 60s treatment time.
• Significant reduction in bacterial viability (>90%) was observed compared to non-electrochemical treatments.
• SEM and TEM revealed morphological changes, including cell membrane rupture and lysis, in treated cells and bacteria.

Conclusions:

• The combined electrochemical and nanotechnology irrigation approach is effective in eradicating root canal bacteria.
• The optimized technique shows favorable cytocompatibility with human cell lines at specific concentrations and durations.
• This novel method presents a promising advancement for achieving complete disinfection in root canal treatments.