Efficacy of Different Irrigation Systems Used to Remove Calcium Hydroxide from the Root Canal

The present study aimed to compare the cleaning efficacy of passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), self-adjusting file (SAF), EndoVac, and conventional syringe irrigation (CSI) techniques on Ca(OH)2 removal from the root canal. This study was conducted on the mesial roots of 36 human mandibular molar teeth. After 1 month, the Ca(OH)2 was removed from the experimental groups using four different irrigation techniques (SAF, PUI, EndoVac, and CSI). The inner surfaces of the canals were examined using a stereomicroscope at 30x magnification. The assessment of remaining Ca(OH)2 medicament in the grooves was performed by three calibrated dentists using a scoring system ranged 0-3. None of the groups showed complete Ca(OH)2 removal from the root canals. The PUI technique removed significantly more Ca(OH)2  from all root canals, compared to EndoVac and CSI techniques  (P