Effect of phytic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and chitosan solutions on microhardness of the human radicular dentin.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of phytic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and chitosan solutions on the microhardness of human radicular dentin.


METHODS
Thirty dentin specimens were randomly divided into three groups of 10 specimens each according to the irrigant used: G1 - 1% phytic acid, G2 - 17% EDTA, and G3 - 0.2% chitosan. A standardized volume of each chelating solution was used for 3 min. Dentin microhardness was measured before and after application at the cervical, middle, and apical levels with a Vickers indenter under a 200-g load and a 10-s dwell time. The results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student's t test.


RESULTS
Microhardness of the radicular dentin varied at the cervical, middle, and apical levels. EDTA had the greatest overall effect, causing a sharp percentage reduction in dentin microhardness with a significant difference from phytic acid and chitosan (P = 0.002). However, phytic acid and chitosan differed insignificantly from each other (P = 0.887).


CONCLUSIONS
All tested chelating solutions reduced microhardness of the radicular dentin layer at all the levels. However, reduction was least at the apical level. EDTA caused more reduction in dentin microhardness than chitosan while phytic acid reduced the least.
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Subharti Dental College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Vineeta
V
Nikhil
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Subharti Dental College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Shikha
S
Jaiswal
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Subharti Dental College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Parul
P
Bansal
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Subharti Dental College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Rohit
R
Arora
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Subharti Dental College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Shalya
S
Raj
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Subharti Dental College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Pulkit
P
Malhotra
Chelator; chitosan; ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); microhardness; phytic acid