Assessment of debris extrusion on using automated irrigation device with conventional needle irrigation – An ex vivo study

Introduction: Irrigation is an essential aspect of effective cleaning and disinfecting the root canal system. Debris tends to extrude in due course of instrumentation and irrigation. The present study aimed to assess the debris extrusion using an automated root canal irrigation device. Materials and Methods: Sixty-six intact maxillary premolars with double-rooted morphology undergoing extraction were collected. They were allocated into three groups – Group I: control (distilled water irrigation), Group II: conventional needle irrigation, and Group III: automated root canal irrigation (n = 22). Each specimen was then inserted into the Eppendorf tube for debris collection. The canals were then instrumented to 40 size 0.04 taper using HyFlex CM rotary file system. Experimental irrigation varied based on the specific group allocated. Finally, after the irrigation, the collected debris was weighed using the analytical balance. Results: A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was elicited in the debris extrusion scores seen among different groups assessed. Conclusion: Debris extrusion was minimal with automated root canal irrigation device as compared to syringe needle irrigation.