Amy Dukoff
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 ODIUM HYPOCHLORITE is a vital irrigant used in endodontic procedures. It has retained its usefulness through the years. During instrumentation, its valuable effects are needed during cleaning, shaping, and disinfecting the root canal space in three dimensions. Therefore, sodium hypochlorite is found chairside and is used commonly by practioners. Because it is cheap to purchase, it’s a benefit in today’s troubled economic environment. Therefore, its reasonable cost is an additional advantage and another reason for its popularity and widespread use. Also, because it is mass-produced commercially as household bleach, it is readily available to the dentist. Its easy access adds to its popularity.
Sodium hypochlorite’s reputation is that of an effective endodontic irrigant that dissolves pulpal tissue, lubricates the armentarium, and has antimicrobial activity. Practitioners, myself included, have depended on sodium hyporchlorite’s ability to eliminate microorganisms, dissolve soft tissue, remove the smear layer, lubricate, and flush away loose debris.
Today, heating sodium hypochlorite is possible for chair-side use. At a higher temperature, sodium hypochlorite is more effective in dissolving more tissue than it is at room temperature. Moreover, techniques of agitation—shaking, stirring, or causing a disturbance in the solution—all enhance the tissue-dissolving capability of sodium hypochlorite. Using a reciprocating hand-piece thus agitates the solution, enhancing the tissue-dissolving ability of sodium hypochlorite and resulting in improved cleansing of the root canal chamber. As sodium hypochlorite’s ability to dissolve tissue increases, so does its ability to lubricate as it facilitates the instruments’ movements within the canal. Also, as the capabilities of sodium hypochlorite improve with agitation and increased temperature, so does its ability to dissolve inaccessible microbiological tissue that contains microorganisms.
Sodium hypochlorite’s many endodontic uses make it essential in clinical practice. It’s effective as an irrigant during canal debridement because of its ability to dissolve tissue effectively. Sodium hypochlorite’s capabilities have been enhanced with the technological advancements in instrumentation. Sodium hypochlorite’s abilities seem to “improve with age.”
October - December 2010 |
Sodium hypochlorite’s abilities seem to “improve with age.”
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