Abstract:

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of currently used sonic irrigation and activation systems on filling of simulated lateral canals in a closed system by radiographic analysis and tooth decalcification and clearing method.  Materials and Methods: Sixty freshly extracted human maxillary anterior and mandibular premolar teeth with similar root length were selected for this study. The teeth were decoronated and lateral canals were created by inserting #15 reamer at 3, 6, 9 mm away from the apex, on the mesial and distal walls perpendicularly to the external surface. The root canals were instrumented and randomly assigned into three groups (n=20): group 1, Vibringe sonic irrigation; group 2, passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI); and control group 3, conventional needle irrigation. The root canal were filled with AH plus and gutta-percha using the cold lateral compaction technique. Periapical radiographs were taken from each specimen and then decalcified for stereomicroscopic analysis.  Results: Significant difference was found at the middle third between the control and the PUI groups in the radiographic evaluation and between the control and the Vibringe group in the cleared specimens. However, the cleared specimens showed higher values than radiographic evaluation quantitatively. Conclusions: Sonically or ultrasonically irrigation showed significant differences on the filling of the simulated lateral canals at the middle third of the root canals. Ultrasonic activation of the irrigants represented better results in radiographic and cleared specimen evaluation.

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