Evaluation of the Cleanliness and Sealer Penetration of the Root Canal System Following Final Irrigation Using Chelating Agents

Objective: In root canal treatment, final root canal irrigation plays an essential role in removing smear layers, especially inorganic components, in order to achieve hermetic obturation of the root canal system. This study aimed to evaluate the root canal cleanliness and sealer penetration of the root canal system following final irrigation using chelating agents, namely nano-chitosan, which was compared to EDTA and novel silver citrate (NSC). Methods: This study used 90 premolars, which were divided into two evaluations: root canal cleanliness and sealer penetration. Teeth were assigned into three groups. Group 1: EDTA, group 2: NSC, and group 3: nano-chitosan. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to evaluate root canal cleanliness, and a stereo microscope was utilized to evaluate sealer penetration. The root canal cleanliness data were analysed using the Chi-Square test, whereas sealer penetration data were analysed with a two-way ANOVA and LSD Post-Hoc test with a significance level of 95. Results: In the root canal cleanliness evaluation, all three final irrigation solutions showed similar cleanliness of the root canals (p>0.05). In the evaluation of sealer penetration, nano-chitosan produced the highest sealer penetration compared to EDTA and NSC (p<0.05). Conclusion: All final irrigations produced the same root canal cleanliness; however, nano-chitosan final irrigation solution generated the longest sealer penetration than EDTA and NSC. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.