Eliminating residual calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] intracanal medicament from the walls of a root canal presents a persistent obstacle that can impede the establishment of a proper fluid-tight seal during obturation. The effective removal of these medicaments from the canal walls has consistently posed a significant challenge. Consequently, several systems have been developed and assessed in order to address this issue. Therefore, it is of interest to compare the efficacy of Finisher Gentlefile Brush, XP-endo Finisher, and Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation (PUI) on the removal of an oil-based Ca(OH)2 paste. 60 human mandibular extracted premolars were selected and underwent preparation with Pro Taper Gold rotary file system till size F5. The canals were dried and filled with Metapex and stored for a week. Further, the specimens were divided into 3 groups depending upon the Metapex removal protocols, namely, Finisher Gentlefile Brush, XP-endo Finisher, and PUI. Afterward, the specimens were sectioned buccolingually. Evaluation of remnants was done with a scoring system under a dental microscope at 25x magnification. The data was analyzed using the Chi-square test (p<.05). With the exception of PUI, all the methods demonstrated significantly better performance, with Finisher Gentlefile Brush being the most effective across all canal thirds (p<.05). While none of the methods achieved complete cleanliness, Finisher Gentlefile Brush exhibited exceptional results compared to the other two systems employed.

Calcium hydroxide, Finisher Gentlefile Brush, Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation & XP-endo Finisher