Evaluation of efficacy of disinfecting agents for gutta percha cones: Herbal verses chemical –An in vitro study

The major goals of root canal therapy are the complete elimination of microorganisms from the root canal system and the prevention of subsequent reinfection. In clinical practice the dentist is occasionally come across with a problem of infection that occurs after obturation of root canal space. Guttapercha is the most common obturating material. Unlike most instruments used in endodontic treatment, guttapercha cones cannot be sterilized by conventional autoclaving or in a hot-air oven, therefore, they require rapid decontamination before use to maintain the aseptic condition required for successful endodontic therapy. Various chemical agents have been proposed as GP cones disinfectant, including sodium hypochlorite, glutaraldehyde, alcohol, iodine compounds and hydrogen peroxide. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effecicacy of a herbal alternative, Aloe vera and Amla for rapid decontamination of guttapercha cones.