| Summary: | Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the ability of a mixture of tetracycline isomer, citric acid and detergent (MTAD) and ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) in removing the smear layer along with their effects on peritubular and intertubular dentinal structures by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination. Materials and Methods: Thirty recently extracted maxillary and mandibular single-rooted human teeth were divided into 3 groups and prepared to an apical size of 30. In Group 1, 2, and 3, MTAD, EDTA, and distilled water were used, respectively, as a final rinse solution to remove the smear layer. The specimens were subjected to SEM evaluation for the presence or absence of the smear layer and degree of erosion using a scoring system. Results: The result showed that MTAD shows better smear layer removing ability and does not significantly change the structure of dentinal tubules. Conclusion: MTAD is an efficient solution for the removal of the smear layer, especially in the apical third of root canals, and does not significantly change the structure of the dentinal tubules.
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