ABSTRACT
Aim
The purpose of this study was to determine the current trends in irrigation practice among the practicing dentists in Nellore urban area of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Materials and methods
A self-prepared questionnaire comprising 20 questions was given to 150 dentists practicing in Nellore urban area. The information gathered was the individual irrigant selection, irrigant concentration, smear layer removal, and use of adjuncts to irrigation, gauge of needle, tip design of needle, depth of needle penetration, volume of the syringe used, volume of irrigant used, duration of irrigation, choice of irrigant in vital teeth, teeth with radiographic evidence of periapical lesion, and retreatment cases.
Results
Our data indicated that majority of respondents (55.6%) are using saline as primary irrigant at a concentration of 0.9% whereas 44.4% of respondents primarily use sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), with 51.4% of them using it at a concentration of 2.6 to 4%. Twenty-six gauge needle with single-beveled tip design being most preferred for syringe irrigation. Only 59.7% of respondents aimed to remove the smear layer during endodontic treatment with only 11.9% using an adjunct to irrigation.
Conclusion
Regardless of the critical nature of the irrigation step in the endodontic therapy, the results from the study were not satisfying, especially when it comes to the use of primary irrigant, adjuncts, or newer irrigating systems. Thus there is a need to regularly update and check the practices adopted by dental practitioners.
How to cite this article
Koppolu M, Paramesh Y, Suneelkumar C, Lavanya A. Current Trends in Irrigation Practice during Endodontic Treatment among Dental Practitioners in Nellore Urban Area: A Survey. J Oper Dent Endod 2016;1(2):47-55.
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