†These authors contributed equally.
Academic Editor: Carlos Miguel Marto
Mesial roots and isthmuses of mandibular molars are difficult areas to obtain
adequate disinfection of root canal walls, and consequently microorganisms can
survive treatment. The present study compared, through real-time polymerase chain
reaction (qPCR), the effectiveness of TRUShape (TS) (Dentsply Tulsa Dental
Specialties, Tulsa, OK) and Vortex Blue (VB) (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties,
Tulsa, OK) in removing Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) from
the mesial canals and isthmuses of mandibular molars. Fifty extracted human lower
molars were inoculated with E. faecalis OG1RF for 14 days, and then an
initial bacterial sample was collected with paper points from mesiobuccal and
mesiolingual canals and isthmuses. The specimens were randomly divided into four
groups (n = 10 teeth; 20 canals each), according to instrumentation system: TS
25/0.06, TS 30/0.06, VB 25/0.06 and VB 30/0.06. The remaining 10 teeth were
divided between positive control, inoculated teeth without instrumentation or
irrigation, and negative controls, teeth without inoculation. After
instrumentation, the final sample was taken using paper points and DNA was
isolated. Primers specific for E. faecalis were used for qPCR. The
bacterial reduction between pre- and post-instrumentation was calculated. One-way
analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni’s multiple-comparisons tests were
for statistical analysis with significance of (p