Vol. 11, Issue 3, Part C (2025)

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of debridement of root canal irrigants using three irrigation needles, analyzed with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

Materials and Methods: Thirty single rooted teeth freshly extracted human mandibular premolars with fully formed apices were divided into three groups (n=10). Root canal instrumentation was done on all teeth using rotary files. Each group was irrigated using 3 different irrigation needles (Group I: 27 gauge side vented needle, Group II: 30 gauge side vented needle, Group III: 30 gauge flexible needle). During root canal preparation, 5.25% sodium hypochlorite and EDTA were used as irrigants. The teeth were sectioned and coronal, middle and apical third were evaluated for debris by Scanning Electron Microscope. The data was analyzed using One-way ANOVA Test followed by Kruskal Wallis Test followed by Dunn’s post hoc test at a 5% significance level.

Results: Group III demonstrated the highest debris removal efficacy across all root canal regions, as indicated by the lowest mean scores. Significant differences were observed between Group III and both Groups I and II in all regions, while no significant differences were found between Groups I and II. The differences were most pronounced in the apical region, where Group III showed superior performance.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of irrigation needle selection for effective canal debridement, particularly in the apical region.