title: Minimal Apical Enlargement for Penetration of Irrigants to the Apical Third of Root Canal System: A Scanning Electron Microscope Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine minimal apical enlargement for irrigant penetration into apical third of root canal system using scanning electron microscope (SEM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Distobuccal canals of 40 freshly extracted human maxillary first molar teeth were instrumented using crown-down technique. The teeth were divided into four test groups according to size of their master apical file (MAF) (#20, #25, #30, #35 0.06% taper), and two control groups. After final irrigation, removal of debris and smear layer from the apical third of root canals was determined under a SEM. Data was analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Smear layer removal in apical third for MAF size #30 was comparable with that of the control group (size #40).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minimal apical enlargement for penetration of irrigants to the apical third of root canal system is #30 size.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, SVS Institute of Dental Sciences, Mahaboobnagar, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Srikanth
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Saraswati Dhanwantari Dental College & Hospital, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Amaravadi Gopi
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Krishna
authors.affiliation: Proffesor, Department of Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, VYWS Dental College and Hospital, Amaravathi, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Siva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srinivas
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, SVS Institute of Dental Sciences, Mahaboobnagar, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: E Sujayeendranatha
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences, Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Someshwar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Battu
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, SVS Institute of Dental Sciences, Mahaboobnagar, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Swathi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aravelli
keywords: Master apical file; minimal apical enlargement; smear layer