IN-VITRO CLEANING ABILITY OF ROOT-CANAL IRRIGANTS WITH AND WITHOUT ENDOSONICS

A variety of methods have been used to evaluate the cleanliness of roo t canals after endodontic preparation and irrigation. Few irrigation a gents other than sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) have been tested in conju nction with endosonics. The purpose of this study was to examine the c leaning ability of water, NaOCl, Hibiscrub and a biological washing li quid when used as intracanal irrigants, with and without endosonics. T wo methods of evaluation were employed to assess the root canal cleanl iness after endodontic preparation. A total of 56 teeth, divided into eight groups, were prepared manually using the step-down technique. Ea ch irrigating agent was used in two experimental groups, with and with out endosonics. Two additional teeth which received neither instrument ation nor irrigation served as the controls. The teeth were split long itudinally and the state of cleanliness of the root canal was assessed by scoring the amount of stained organic debris and smear layer. It w as demonstrated that the results of debris and smear layer scoring wer e significantly influenced by the type of irrigant and whether endoson ics had been used. All agents exhibited similar cleaning ability when introduced manually. With endosonics, NaOCl yielded significantly less stainable debris (P<0.05) than the other groups which showed no signi ficant difference. The ability to remove the smear layer was enhanced, but at some distance short of the working length, by endosonics for a ll irrigants tested. None of the solutions tested was able to produce a canal wall that was free of smear layer.