Root Canal Irrigants in Horizon: A Review

Local wound debridement in the diseased pulp space is the main step in root canal treatment to prevent the tooth from being a source of infection. Successful root canal therapy is always based on the combination of proper instrumentation, irrigation and obturation of the root canal. Of these three essential steps of root canal therapy, irrigation of the root canal is the most important technique which aids in the healing of the periapical tissues. The root canal is shaped under constant irrigation to remove the inflamed and necrotic tissue, microbes, biofilms and other debris from the root canal space. There is no single irrigating solution that can alone cover all of the functions required from an irrigant. Optimal irrigation is based on the combined use of two or several irrigating solutions, in a proper sequence, to predictably obtain the goals of safe and effective irrigation. This article highlights various irrigants, ideal requirements of irrigants and newer irrigants used for irrigation.