Effectiveness of Sodium Iodide Root Canal Filling Pastes in Primary Teeth

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the physical properties and antibacterial effectiveness of iodoform based root filling pastes, Vitapex® and Metapex®, with sodium iodide root filling paste (NaI paste) for primary teeth. Materials and Methods: The physical properties (flowability, film thickness, radiopacity) of the pastes were evaluated according to ISO 6876:2012. The antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis strain (ATCC 6538) was evaluated using a direct contact test. Results: There was no significant statistical difference (p > 0.05) observed in the flow and film thickness of NaI paste when compared to the currently available root canal filling materials. The average flow capacities for Vitapex®, Metapex®, and NaI paste were 15.40 mm, 21.25 mm, and 20.01 mm, respectively. The average film thickness for Vitapex®, Metapex®, and NaI paste were 33.3 μl, 22.6 μl, and 25.0 μl, respectively. However, NaI paste showed lower radiopacity than the existing materials, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05) NaI paste demonstrated higher antimicrobial activity than the available materials, and this difference was also statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared to the existing commercialized root canal filling materials, NaI paste exhibited similar performance in terms of flow and film thickness, and superior antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis . Hence, NaI paste could be a promising root filling material for primary teeth and may be a potential alternative to existing materials.