ABSTRACT
Background and aim: nowadays, Gutta Percha cones are widely used as a canal filling material. Since these materials can not be sterilized through common methods of dry or wet heat, quick sterilization of Gutta Percha cones, while and prior to manipulation, is a necessity as a substantial factor in a successful endodontic treatment
Materials and Methods: the purpose of this study was to assess the disinfectant effect of HcIoNa solution of various concentrations on Gutta percha cones artificially contaminated by Enterococcus fecalis and Bacillus subtilis spore
Results: in this study, 160 Gutta percha cones No.80 of Ariadent brand were used. Gutta percha cones were initially immersed in microbial solutions for thirty minutes. Having been transferred to vessels containing sterile filter paper, they were dried for ten minutes in room temperature. caries were then transferred to plastic containers each separately in a sterile condition and immersed in HcloNa solution of 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 5.25% concentrations for 1, 3 and 5 minutes. All cones were then transferred into tubes containing serum physiology and thiosulfate [0.6%]. This solution was mixed for twenty seconds by Vortex mixer and samples of undiluted solution [5.25%] and 0.5%, 1% and 2% diluted ones were cultured in tryptic agar environment. The number of colonies were then counted and reported in CFUML
Conclusion: considering that all HcloNa solutions of different concentrations showed anti-bacterial and anti-spore properties, Gutta percha cones sterilization by HcloNa [0.5%] solution for one minutes, is recommended