Comparison of the efficacy of TruNatomy, side-vented, and open-ended irrigation needles in apical debris extrusion: an in-vitro study

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of irrigation needles with different designs on the amount of apically extruded debris during root canal treatment. TruNatomy, open-ended, single-side-vented, and double-side-vented irrigation needles were assessed. Eighty extracted human mandibular incisors with single roots and single canals, removed for periodontal or orthodontic reasons, were used. The teeth were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 20) according to the irrigation needle type: open-ended, single-side-vented, double-side-vented, and the TruNatomy needle. Apically extruded debris was collected using the Myers and Montgomery model and weighed with an electronic microbalance. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found among the groups regarding the amount of apically extruded debris. Among the needle designs, the TruNatomy group exhibited the highest extrusion values, followed by the open-ended, double-side-vented, and single-side-vented needle groups. All needle designs resulted in some degree of apical debris extrusion. Although neither contemporary nor conventional needle designs significantly influenced the amount of debris extruded during canal irrigation, the observed differences in extrusion levels should be considered when selecting irrigation needles for clinical use.