IATs improve intracanal cleanliness across a substantial portion of the canal , and therefore , their use is recommended throughout root canal preparation .
AIMS To establish whether irrigant activation techniques ( IATs ) result in greater intracanal smear layer and debris removal than conventional needle irrigation ( CNI ) .
Evaluation of smear layer removal after use of a canal brush: an SEM study.
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate smear layer removal after using the new CanalBrush ( Coltene/Whaledent GmbH+Co . KG , Germany ) . STUDY DESIGN Twenty extracted maxillary anterior teeth were r and omly divided into 2 equal groups . The canals of the teeth in each group were instrumented with ProTaper Universal rotary files ( Dentsply Maillefer , Switzerl and ) . Following each file use , the root canals in both groups were irrigated with 5.25 % NaOCl and 15 % EDTA . At the end of instrumentation , the canals in group 2 were flushed with 15 % EDTA , then a CanalBrush was used for 30 seconds , and a final irrigation was conducted with 5.25 % NaOCl . All teeth were processed for scanning electron microscopy ( SEM ) , and the removal of the smear layer was examined in the apical , middle , and coronal thirds . Analyses of SEM images were performed by 2 independent evaluators in a blinded manner and using a 4-point scoring system . RESULTS The middle and apical thirds of the root canals in group 2 showed lower average scores than those in group 1 , but the difference was not statistically significant . There was no significant difference in the coronal score between the groups ( P > .05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Irrigating with brushing tended to produce cleaner canal walls , but irrigating brushing was not significantly better than irrigation alone in removing the smear layer on the canal walls
IATs improve intracanal cleanliness across a substantial portion of the canal , and therefore , their use is recommended throughout root canal preparation .
AIMS To establish whether irrigant activation techniques ( IATs ) result in greater intracanal smear layer and debris removal than conventional needle irrigation ( CNI ) .