Effectiveness of Different Final Irrigation Procedures on Enterococcus faecalis Infected Root Canals: An In Vitro Evaluation

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial effect of three final irrigation protocols and to compare their ability to remove the smear layer and debris from the root canal. Methods: Sixty-three single-rooted human teeth were inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis for 14 days. The teeth were divided into a positive control group (N = 3) and three treatment groups (N = 20) as follows: final irrigation with saline solution (control group), irrigation with 5.25% NaOCl ultrasonically activated with EndoUltra (EU), standard needle irrigation with Qmix 2in1 (Qx) and irrigation with 5.25% NaOCl activated using SiroLaser Blue (SB). The bacterial load was evaluated by analyzing the colony-forming units (CFU/mL). Selected specimens were split longitudinally and examined using scanning electron microscopy in order to determine the presence of a smear layer and debris. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA and the Kruskal–Wallis rank-sum test. Results: Activation of NaOCl with EndoUltra or SiroLaser Blue was superior at reducing intracanal bacteria relative to standard needle irrigation with Qmix 2in1 solution (p < 0.05). Even though SiroLaser Blue showed the best results for removing the smear layer and debris, no significant differences were detected between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Final irrigation with 5.25% NaOCl ultrasonically activated using EndoUltra or SiroLaser Blue demonstrated a higher efficacy in bacterial reduction than standard needle irrigation with Qmix 2in1.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Accuracy of Three Electronic Apex Locators Using Different Sodium Hypochlorite Concentrations

“…In the present study, the alginate was chosen because it can simulate the consistency of the periodontal ligament by its electroconductive properties [ 33 ], having a higher accuracy when used as embedding media for electronic root canal length determination [ 44 ]. Moreover, because the teeth were kept in a moist medium until their use, the possibility of losing their conductivity was eliminated [ 23 , 25 ].…”

“…Since irrigation is of essential importance in root canal treatment for the removal of dentine, remnant tissues, and individual bacteria or microbial communities [ 20 , 21 ], the determination of WL is often carried out in the presence of various irrigation solutions [ 22 , 23 ]. However, some previous studies [ 24 , 25 , 26 ] demonstrated that the electroconductive properties of the irrigation solution can influence the accuracy of the EALs leading to shorter or extended measurements.…”

Current Applications and Future Directions of Lasers in Endodontics: A Narrative Review

“…As for the elimination of biofilm and calcium hydroxide, multiple studies have shown that LAI performed significantly better than SNI [ 31 , 38 , 39 ]. The ability of the Er:YAG laser for the purposes of biofilm removal was explored in a study using pig models.…”