Comparative Evaluation of the Amount of Debris and Irrigants Extruded Apically by Different Irrigating Needles - An in vitro study

Introduction: The main goal of the successful endodontics is the complete sterilization of the root canal space. During preparation, irrigants and debris such as bacteria, dentin fillings and necrotic debris may be extruded into the periradicular region leading to periapical inflammation and postoperative flare-ups. Several instrument designs and irrigation techniques have been developed to prevent this. Material and methodology: Fourty non carious extracted single rooted mandibular premolar teeth were divided into four groups of ten samples each depending upon the type of irrigating needles used i.e tip vented needles, side vented needles, ultrasonic tips & a control group with no irrigation used during instrumentation with K-files. The apically extruded debris and irrigating solution were collected in an apparatus made by using Myers and Montgomery technique and were measured quantitatively. The results were compared using a one-way ANOVA. A post hoc Tukey analysis and repeated measure test were used for multiple comparisons. Results: The mean weight of the extruded debris and irrigants for the three experimental groups was highest for the tip vented needles followed by side vented and then the ultrasonic tips. Conclusion: All the irrigation systems extruded the irrigating solution and debris. However, ultrasonic irrigating tips showed least apical extrusion.