Irrigation effectiveness of continuous ultrasonic irrigation system: An ex vivo study

Abstract

This study evaluated the irrigation extrusion and smear layer (SL) removal of continuous ultrasonic irrigation (CUI). Forty root canals were shaped, embedded in warm sterile saline agar colored with 1% acid red, and distributed into four groups; three groups had the final irrigation sequence of sodium hypochlorite and EDTA solutions performed by using syringe irrigation (SI), EndoVac (EV), and CUI, respectively. Group 4 had the canals ultrasonically irrigated with saline (CUIS). Irrigant extrusion was verified by a color change of the agar. The SL was evaluated under scanning electron microscope. Irrigant extrusion was observed in two and four teeth in the CUI and SI, respectively, whilst none had irrigant extruded in the EV. In term of SL, the CUI was comparable to EV at 1 and 3 mm but different to SI at 1 mm. Although CUI might clean the root canal system effectively, it was unable to avoid irrigant extrusion.