Evaluation of apically extruded debris during the removal of canal filling material using three different Ni-Ti systems and hand files in teeth with simulated apical root resorption.

AIM: To compare the weight of apically extruded debris produced during the removal of root canal filling material using various files in extracted teeth with simulated apical root resorption. METHODOLOGY: The root canals of one hundred and twenty extracted mandibular premolar teeth were prepared with Revo-S files and filled using a cold lateral compaction technique with gutta-percha and a resin-based sealer (AdSeal; Meta-Biomed, Cheongwon, Korea). Sixty teeth were randomly assigned to four control groups (hand file, ProTaper Universal retreatment file, D-RaCe retreatment file, and Reciproc file) for the removal of root canal filling material. The apical portion of the remaining 60 teeth was modified to simulate apical root resoption, and the teeth were then randomly divided into 4 experimental groups (using the same techniques as in the control groups) for the removal of root canal filling material. Apically extruded debris was collected into pre-weighed Eppendorf tubes and then dried. The mean weight of the apically extruded debris was assessed with an analytical balance to an accuracy of 10-4  g. Data were analysed using two-way analysis of variance and a Tukey's post hoc test. RESULTS: In the simulated apical root resorption groups, all file systems were associated with significantly more debris extrusion compared to the groups without simulated resorption (P < 0.05). The amount of apically extruded debris was greatest in the hand file groups compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). In the groups with simulated apical root resorption, the Reciproc system was associated with the least weight of apically extruded debris (P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference between the ProTaper Universal retreatment and D-RaCe files (P > 0.05). In the groups without simulated apical root resorption, there was no significant difference between Reciproc, ProTaper Universal retreatment and D-RaCe retreatment files (P> 0.05). The time required to remove the root canal filling material was as follows: hand file > ProTaper Universal retreatment = D-RaCe retreatment > Reciproc (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The weight of apically extruded debris was significantly greater in teeth with simulated apical root resorption than in those teeth without simulated apical root resorption. Hand files were associated with significantly more apically extruded debris in all groups during removal of root canal filling material.

Effects of ozone and photo-activated disinfection against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms in vitro.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the antibacterial effects of gaseous ozone (O3) and photo-activated disinfection (PAD) methods against Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) biofilms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-five human mandibular premolars with straight root canals were selected. After root canal preparation, the samples were sterilized and placed into eppendorf tubes with 1 mL brain heart infusion broth containing 1.5×10(8) colony-forming units (CFUs)/mL of E. faecalis. The contaminated samples were then divided into four groups (n=15) according to the disinfection method used: Group 1, Saline (positive control); Group 2, NaOCl (negative control); Group 3, Gaseous O3; and Group 4, PAD. Three non-contaminated teeth were used to control the infection and sterilization process. The CFUs were counted and the data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups (P<0.05). The saline group had the highest number of remaining microorganisms. Complete sterilization was achieved in the 2.5% NaOCl group. There were no statistically differences between PAD and gaseous O3 (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Both PAD and gaseous O3 have a significant antibacterial effect on infected root canals. However, 2.5% NaOCl was superior in terms of its antimicrobial abilities compared with the other disinfection procedures.

The bond strength of endodontic sealers to root dentine exposed to different gutta-percha solvents.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of various gutta-percha solvents on the push-out bond strength of several root canal sealers on root dentine. METHODOLOGY: The root canals of 210 single-rooted human teeth were prepared with the ProTaper System (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) up to a master apical file size of F4, and the following variables evaluated for bond strength: solvent type (chloroform, eucalyptol and orange oil), time (2 and 5 min), sealer type (AH Plus, MTA Fillapex and Sealapex) and root thirds (coronal, middle and apical). After canal filling, three 1-mm-thick slices were obtained from each root sample, and the bond strength of the test materials was measured using a push-out test set-up at a cross-head speed of 1 mm min(-1) . The data were analysed using four-way factorial anova (P = 0.05). RESULTS: Bond strength was significantly affected by solvent type and time (P < 0.001). The use of chloroform for 5 min in the root canal decreased bond strength of all sealers (P < 0.001). Eucalyptol and orange oil did not affect the bond strength of the sealers (P > 0.05). In all conditions, the push-out bond strength was highest for AH Plus and lowest for MTA Fillapex (P < 0.001). Bond strength values decreased in a corono-apical direction in all groups (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Chloroform used for 5 min during retreatment decreased the bond strength of AH Plus, Sealapex and MTA Fillapex to root dentine.

Push-out bond strength of two new calcium silicate-based endodontic sealers to root canal dentine.

AIM: To assess the push-out bond strength of two new calcium silicate-based endodontic sealers in the root canals of extracted teeth. METHODOLOGY: Thirty extracted single-rooted central incisors of similar sizes were selected randomly and distributed to three groups (n = 10). All canals were instrumented using ProTaper rotary instruments to achieve tapered canal walls. Irrigation was performed using 5 mL 2.5% NaOCl between each instrument, and the smear layer was removed using 5 mL 17% EDTA. The canals were filled with three different sealers using a cold lateral compaction technique: group 1: AH Plus + gutta-percha, group 2: I Root SP + gutta-percha and group 3: MTA Fillapex + gutta-percha. Three horizontal sections were prepared at a thickness of 1 mm ± 0.1 in the apical, middle and coronal parts of each root. The test specimens were subjected to the push-out test method using a Universal Test Machine (Instron, Canton, MA, USA) that carried 1-mm, 0.5-mm and 0.3-mm plungers for coronal, middle and apical specimens, respectively. The loading speed was 1 mm min(-1) . The push-out data were analysed by two-way analysis of variance (anova) and the post hoc Holm-Sidak test, with significance set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: In the coronal specimens, there was no significant difference between the sealers. In the middle and apical segments, there was no significant difference between I Root SP and AH Plus groups. However, the I Root SP and AH Plus had significantly higher bond strength values than the MTA Fillapex (P < 0.05). In terms of root segments, the bond strengths in the middle specimens and the apical specimens were higher compared with the bond strengths in the coronal specimens (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the bond strengths in the middle and apical specimens. CONCLUSION: MTA Fillapex had the lowest push-out bond values to root dentine compared with other sealers.