title: Leakage and sealer penetration in smear-free dentin after a final rinse with 95% ethanol.
abstract: Forty extracted maxillary incisors were decoronated, prepared in a crown-down fashion and randomly divided into two groups of 16 roots each. Remaining roots served as controls. Smear layer was removed with 17% EDTA followed by 5.25% NaOCl, the canals in group N were again rinsed with NaOCl before obturation with laterally compacted gutta-percha and Roth's 801 sealer. The roots in group E were rinsed with 95% ethyl alcohol instead of NaOCl for the final rinse. Leakage was determined using a fluid-flow model. Roots were cleared, split, and sealer penetration into the dentinal tubules was measured under light-microscopy. Group E demonstrated significantly greater sealer penetration (p = 0.002) and significantly less leakage (p = 0.040), than group N. Leakage could not be significantly correlated with sealer penetration (p = 0.725). Under the conditions of this study, we found that a final rinse with 95% ethyl alcohol increased sealer penetration and decreased leakage.
authors.affiliation: Naval Postgraduate Dental School, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. rbjestevens@earthlink.net
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Strother
authors.forename: Scott B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: McClanahan
mesh_terms: D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003804:Dentin / Q000187:drug effects*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016369:Smear Layer; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000494:pharmacology; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement; D000431:Ethanol; C074935:Roth's 801 Sealer; D004492:Edetic Acid; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite