Scanning electron microscopic study of the cleaning ability of chlorhexidine as a root-canal irrigant.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate in vitro the cleaning of root-canal walls after irrigation with different irrigants.


METHODS
A total of 36 recently extracted human teeth were divided into four experimental groups according to the irrigating solution used: saline; 2% chlorhexidine; 2.5% sodium hypochlorite; and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite + EDTA. The cleaning of the apical, middle and coronal thirds of the root canals was evaluated by scanning electron microscope examination using a 4-point scoring system.


RESULTS
The best cleaning was obtained using 2.5% sodium hypochlorite and EDTA, followed by 2.5% sodium hypochlorite only (P < 0.05), whose cleaning was similar to chlorhexidine only in the cervical third. Cleaning by saline and 2% chlorhexidine was worse than the other two groups and was similar in all thirds. Better cleaning was found in the cervical and middle thirds for all groups with the worst results in the apical third.


CONCLUSIONS
The apical third of the root canals was not cleaned as well as the middle and coronal thirds. Cleaning by chlorhexidine and saline was inferior compared to the cleaning by sodium hypochlorite with and without EDTA.
Yamashita
J C
JC
School of Dentistry, Sacred Heart University, Bauru, Brazil.
Tanomaru Filho
M
M
Leonardo
M R
MR
Rossi
M A
MA
Silva
L A B
LA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation; D016369:Smear Layer; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002614:Chelating Agents; D004202:Disinfectants; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D004492:Edetic Acid; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; D002710:Chlorhexidine