1Undergraduate Student, Department of Conservative dentistry and Endodontics, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
2Reader, Department of Conservative dentistry and Endodontics, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Subash Sharma, Reader, Department of Conservative dentistry and Endodontics, Saveetha Dental college, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, 162, Poonamallee High Road, Chennai, 600077, Tamil Nadu, India, Email: drsubashsharma@gmail.com, Telephone number: 9884533118
Online published on 27 March, 2020.
To analyse the effect of 10% citric acid and 17% EDTA in removing the smear layer on root canal dentin using scanning electron microscope
15 Single rooted extracted teeth were decoronated and randomnly divided into 3 groups based on the irrigant used, 10% citric acid, 17% EDTA and saline. Root canals were enlarged till size 80 K file and Gates glidden drill No 5 with the respective irrigant. Longitudinally teeth were split into two halves. Final irrigation with their respective irrigant for 30 minutes, washed in distilled water and dried. Samples were examined under scanning electron microscope and photographs were taken at 2000x and 3000x magnification. Images were scored based on the presence of smear layer. Scores were statistically analysed by kruskal wallis test and Mann-Whitney test and considered to be significant when p<0.05
Kruskal-wallis and Mann-Whitney test between the test samples show that there is a significant difference between the effect of saline and Citric acid. The difference between citric acid and EDTA is minimal (p= 0.008).
This study can be concluded that the use of 10% citric acid could be a good alternative to EDTA as a root canal irrigant because of the similar desmearing properties. Citric acid has added advantages like less cytotoxicity, anti microbial property and the weakening of root canal dentin is less.
Citric acid, EDTA, root canal irrigation, smear layer
