title: The effect of EDTA root conditioning on periodontal surgery outcome: A meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chemical root conditioning is a procedure to remove the smear layer, which influences periodontal healing. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a root conditioning agent on periodontal surgery outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The databases searched from their earliest records to February 2015 included Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane library, and ISI Web of Science. Quality assessment of the methodologies of all the included studies and data was performed with Review Manager software. Probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were analyzed using inverse variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The evaluation of the three articles that met the inclusion criteria showed that the differences between the EDTA groups and the control groups were not statistically significant (6 months PD: mean difference [MD] = -0.15 mm, Z = 1.09, P = .27; CAL: MD = 0.15 mm, Z = 0.89, P = .37).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EDTA was not able to significantly improve the PD and CAL. A positive outcome of using EDTA as a root conditioning agent was not evident. Thus, future research should focus on EDTA in combination with other drugs or a better alternative drug to EDTA.
authors.forename: Xiqian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Tongyu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D065096:Calcium Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016369:Smear Layer; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D065096:Calcium Chelating Agents; D004492:Edetic Acid