title: Irrigation trends among American Association of Endodontists members: a web-based survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine current trends in irrigation selection among endodontists.
  
  
  METHODS
  An invitation to participate in a web-based survey (QuestionPro) was e-mailed to 3844 members of the American Association of Endodontists. Survey participants were asked between 10 and 14 questions based on their individual responses. Among other questions, participants were asked about their irrigant selection, irrigant concentration, smear layer removal, and use of adjuncts to irrigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 3707 survey invitations were successfully delivered by e-mail after accounting for several undeliverable e-mail invitations. There were 1102 participants, with an overall completion rate of 28.5% (n = 1054). Our data indicate that >90% of respondents primarily use sodium hypochlorite, with 57% of them using it at a concentration >5.0%. Seventy-seven percent of respondents aim to remove the smear layer during endodontic treatment. At least 45% of respondents reported using an adjunct to irrigation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the respondents are using full-strength sodium hypochlorite and are routinely removing the smear layer during endodontic treatment. In addition, almost half of the respondents are using an adjunct, such as ultrasonic activation, to aid in their irrigation technique.
authors.affiliation: Rohde Dental Clinic, US Army Fort Bragg DENTAC, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, USA. joseph.m.dutner@us.army.mil
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dutner
authors.forename: Pete
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mines
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004708:Endodontics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011312:Pressure; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000379:methods; D016369:Smear Layer; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D004492:Edetic Acid; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; D002710:Chlorhexidine