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

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.