Objectives: This ex vivo study evaluated the irrigation efficacy of a new apical negative pressure system (ANP) in canals with simulated immature teeth, by comparing it to EndoVac (EV) system in terms of smear layer (SL) removal and irrigation extrusion.
Materials and methods: Three millimetres of the root end of 40 single canalled lower incisors were resected and decoronated to standardize root canal length. After instrumentation, the specimens were embedded in warm normal saline agar coloured with 1 % acid red and randomly divided into four groups; one control group and three experimental groups. Except in the control group where distilled water was used as irrigant using positive pressure irrigation needle, the canals were irrigated with 6 % NaOCl and 17 % EDTA using the intracanal negative pressure needle (iNP) system, the EV system or 27G open-ended needle under positive pressure (PP). NaOCl extrusion was determined by observing a discolouration of the agar surrounding the root. The SL was evaluated by observing scanning electron microscope images based on a four-level scoring system.
Results: Two specimens with irrigant extrusion were observed in the iNP group, which was significantly different (logistic regression, p < 0.05) to EV and PP. There were no significant differences (Kruskall-Wallis test, p > 0.05) among the experimental groups in terms of SL removal, but all were significantly different to the control group.
Conclusions: Irrigation with the iNP could be a viable alternative to EV as an apical negative pressure irrigation technique especially while treating immature teeth.
Clinical relevance: ANP in canal cleanliness is recommended to be utilized in treating immature teeth where periapical tissues should be saved and stimulated. The iNP system might have the potential to avoid irrigant extrusion while cleaning the canal till the apical end.
Keywords: Apical negative pressure; EndoVac; Intracanal negative pressure; Irrigation extrusion; Positive pressure irrigation; Smear layer.