Eur Endod J. Ahead of Print: EEJ-59454 | DOI: 10.14744/eej.2025.59454

Evaluation of the Cleanliness, Sealer Penetration, and Apical Sealing Ability of the Root canal System Following Final Irrigation Using Chelating Agents

Asteria Monika¹, Helga Anindyastika Maranantan¹, Yogi Premadhika¹, Diatri Nari Ratih², Andina Widyastuti², Wignyo Hadriyanto², Ema Mulyawati^2
1Conservative Dentistry Specialist Study Programme, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Faculty of Dentistry, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
²Department of Conservative Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Faculty of Dentistry, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Objectives: In root canal treatment, final root canal irrigation plays an essential role in removing smear layers, especially inorganic components, in order to achieve hermetic obturation of the root canal system. This study aimed to evaluate the root canal cleanliness, sealer penetration, and apical sealing ability of the root canal system following final irrigation using chelating agents, namely nano-chitosan, which was compared to EDTA and novel silver citrate (NSC).
Methods: This study used 135 premolars, which were divided into three evaluations: root canal cleanliness, sealer penetration, and apical sealing ability. Teeth were assigned into three groups. Group 1: EDTA, group 2: NSC, and group 3: nano-chitosan. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to evaluate root canal cleanliness and apical sealing ability. A stereo microscope was utilized to evaluate sealer penetration. The root canal cleanliness data were analysed using the Chi-Square test, whereas sealer penetration and apical sealing ability data were analysed with a two-way ANOVA and LSD Post-Hoc test with a significance level of 95%.
Results: In the root canal cleanliness evaluation, all three final irrigation solutions showed similar cleanliness of the root canals (p>0.05). In the evaluation of sealer penetration and apical sealing ability, nano-chitosan produced the highest sealer penetration and apical sealing ability compared to EDTA and NSC (p<0.05).
Conclusion: All final irrigations produced the same root canal cleanliness; however, nano-chitosan final irrigation solution generated the longest sealer penetration and the greatest apical sealing ability than EDTA and NSC. (EEJ-2024-12-188)

Keywords: Apical sealing ability, final irrigation solutions, nano-chitosan, root canal cleanliness, sealer penetration

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