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 ) .
The effect of German chamomile (Marticaria recutita L.) extract and tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia L.) oil used as irrigants on removal of smear layer: a scanning electron microscopy study.
AIM To compare the cleaning effectiveness of chamomile hydroalcoholic extract and tea tree oil to 2.5 % sodium hypochlorite ( NaOCl ) solution as an intracanal irrigant for the removal of the smear layer . METHODOLOGY Forty extracted , single-rooted , mature , permanent , human teeth were allocated at r and om into one of three experimental groups of ten teeth and two control groups of five teeth . For each tooth , the pulp chamber was accessed and the canal prepared using K-type files and Gates-Glidden burs , using a step-back technique ; the apical stop was prepared to a size 30 . Each canal was subsequently irrigated with one of the following solutions : distilled water ( as a negative control ) , 2.5 % NaOCl + 17 % ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid ( EDTA ) ( as a positive control ) , chamomile or tea tree oil or 2.5 % NaOCl . Each tooth was split longitudinally and prepared for examination by scanning electron microscopy ( SEM ) . The quantity of smear layer remaining on the three levels of each canal ( coronal , middle and apical ) was examined using magnifications of 2000 and 5000x . The data were analysed using nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests . RESULTS The most effective removal of smear layer occurred with the use of NaOCl with a final rinse of 17 % EDTA ( negative control ) followed by the use of a chamomile extract . Chamomile extract was found to be significantly more effective than distilled water and tea tree oil ( P < 0.008 ) . The use of a 2.5 % NaOCl solution alone , without EDTA and that of tea tree oil , was found to have only minor effects . There was no statistical difference between distilled water , 2.5 % NaOCl and tea tree oil . CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of chamomile to remove smear layer was superior to NaOCl alone but less than NaOCl combined with EDTA
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 ) .