Effect of triple antibiotic paste with or without ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid on surface loss and surface roughness of radicular dentine

This study aimed to compare the effect of two concentrations of triple antibiotic paste (TAP) with or without ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) on surface loss and surface roughness of radicular dentine. Human radicular dentine specimens were randomized into six experimental groups (n = 16 per group). The first and second groups were treated with 1,000 mg/mL or 1 mg/mL of TAP for 4 weeks. The third and fourth groups were treated with 1,000 mg/mL or 1 mg/mL of TAP for 4 weeks followed by 17 % EDTA for 5 min. The fifth group was treated with 17 % EDTA for 5 min and the sixth group received no treatment (control). Dentine surface loss and surface roughness were quantified after various treatments using optical and contact profilometry, respectively. One-way ANOVA followed by Fisher’s protected least significant differences was used for statistical analyses. All treatment groups showed significantly higher surface loss compared to the untreated dentine. Dentine treated with 1,000 mg/mL had significant increase in surface loss and surface roughness compared to dentine treated with 1 mg/mL of TAP. The use of EDTA after both concentrations of TAP did not have significant additive effect on surface loss and surface roughness of dentine. The clinically used concentration of TAP (1,000 mg/mL) caused significantly higher surface loss and surface roughness of radicular dentine compared to the use of 1 mg/mL of TAP. Furthermore, the substantial amount of dentine surface loss and surface roughness detected in the current study may be attributed to TAP rather than EDTA.