Effectiveness of a new endodontic irrigation system for removing smear layer and dissolving simulated organic matter

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to evaluate the potential for dissolution of organic tissue in areas of simulated complexity and cleaning of root walls of the new iVac® endodontic irrigation system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty mandibular premolars were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy before and after biomechanical preparation. Then, they were distributed according to the final irrigation protocol into groups with conventional irrigation, passive ultrasonic irrigation with metallic insert (PUI), and iVac® system, and new photomicrographs were obtained. For tissue dissolution analysis, glass capillaries filled with catgut were attached to the cervical and apical thirds of twenty prototyped upper incisors. They were weighed before and after the previously mentioned irrigation protocols. The data were statistically compared with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The final irrigation provided greater cleaning of the walls in the cervical, middle, and apical thirds of the root canals (P<0.05), with no statistically significant difference between PUI and iVac®, regardless of the analyzed thirds. Both ultrasonic irrigation protocols dissolved a significantly greater volume than the conventional irrigation protocol (P<0.05), with no difference between the two protocols (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The iVac® system showed wall cleaning and tissue dissolution similar to PUI with a metallic insert, and both were superior to conventional irrigation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The new irrigation system iVac is more effective than conventional irrigation and has similar wall cleaning and tissue dissolution to PUI.