Background: The success of endodontic therapy depends on thorough cleaning of the canal system. This is done by the use of various irrigants together with mechanical cleaning. The most popular irrigant used is sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in different concentrations. It has an added advantage in that it is a tissue dissolvent. To improve the removal of the smear layer in the canal, NaOCl is used with chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), etidronic acid, or chitosan.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different chelating agents when used with NaOCl on tissue dissolving capability. Materials and Methods: Cleaned bovine tissue was cut into equal pieces of 4 mm × 4 mm × 2 mm and divided into 60 samples having a weight of 70 ± 3 mg. Irrigant solutions were divided into four groups. Group 1: 3% NaOCl, Gp 2: 3%NaOCl + 17% EDTA, Group 3: 3% NaOCl + 18%…
