ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate tissue dissolving capacity, antimicrobial effect of Hydroxyethylidene bisphosphonate (HEBP) interacting with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as conventional endodontic irrigants and to determine tissue dissolving efficacy depended on temperature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 80 bovine muscles were randomly distributed into 8 groups (n = 10). After their initial weights determined on a precision scale, the specimens in each group were immersed in the solutions for 5, 10 and 15 min and reweighted at each time period. Agar diffusion test inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis was performed for antimicrobial effect of each endodontic irrigants. RESULTS: The ability to dissolve organic matter was greater in NaOCl group following NaOCl and HEBP mixture. Heated NaOCl (40℃) and NaOCl/HEBP mixture was greater tissue dissolving efficacy than room temperature (25℃). Antimicrobial effect was greater and significant in the following order EDTA > EDTA + 1% NaOCl > 1% NaOCl ≥ 1% NaOCl + HEBP. CONCLUSION: HEBP as soft chelating agent does not disturb antimicrobial effect and less affected tissue dissolving efficacy as inherent properties of NaOCl. In the heated NaOCl/HEBP mixture analyzed, it dissolved more the organic matter than room temperature.