Evaluation of the wettability of a resin‑based sealer in contact with some herbal irrigants

Abstract

Background: An ideal root canal irrigant should be able to enhance the wettability of sealer to
dentin walls. The aim of this study was to survey the contact angle between AH 26 sealer and
dentin surface irrigated by four herbal essential oils, compared with normal saline and 5.25% sodium
hypochlorite (NaOCl).
Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, 60 longitudinal dentin slices were obtained from
thirty extracted single‑rooted human mandibular first premolars. After smear layer removal, the
samples were divided into six groups of 10 samples and irrigated for 1 min with the experimental
solutions followed by distilled water: G1: Myrtus communis, G2: Cinnamomum zeylanicum, G3: Zataria
multiflora (ZM), G4: Cuminum cyminum (CC), G5: normal saline, and G6: NaOCl 5.25%. The contact
angle between AH 26 and the samples was measured using Motic Images Plus 2.0 software. Data
were analyzed statistically using one‑way analysis of variance (P < 0.05 consider significant).
Results: All the herbal irrigants, except CC, increased the contact angle of AH 26 sealer (P ≤ 0.05).
The least value of contact angle was seen in the samples treated with CC, and the maximum value
was observed in samples treated with ZM. 5.25% NaOCl showed a slightly increased contact angle
compared to normal saline; however, it was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Under the experimental condition of this study, CC was able to increase dentin
wettability and therefore may be regarded as a promising irrigant after careful evaluation of other
properties of this irrigant.
Key Words: Dentin, epoxy resin AH‑26, essential oil, root canal irrigants, wettability