A laboratory study to assess the physico-chemical properties of BioRoot RCS and BioRoot Flow exposed to citric acid and EDTA irrigating solutions

To assess physico-chemical properties of BioRoot RCS (powder-to-liquid formulation) and BioRoot Flow (pre-mixed formulation) after exposure to citric acid (CA) and EDTA.

BioRoot RCS and BioRoot Flow specimens (5 × 2 mm) were incubated for 28 days at 37 °C before being treated with test solution (distilled water, 17% EDTA, 10% CA, 20% CA or 40% CA). Changes in mass, ion release (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy), phase composition (X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy), surface morphology (scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy) were evaluated. The Shapiro–Wilk, Levene and one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s test, were used for statistical analysis (p < 0.05).

The greatest mass loss, ion release and surface morphological changes (pores and cracks) of BioRoot RCS and BioRoot Flow occurred in 10% and 20% CA. No significant differences were identified between BioRoot RCS and BioRoot Flow in distilled water and EDTA (p > 0.05), whereas BioRoot Flow was significantly more soluble than BioRoot RCS in all CA solutions (p < 0.001). The main phase identified for both materials was zirconium oxide, which remained unaffected by the solutions.

Within the limitations of the study, 10% and 20% CA were more effective than distilled water, 17% EDTA and 40% CA in terms of dissolving BioRoot RCS and BioRoot Flow. The BioRoot Flow was significantly more soluble in all CA solutions than BioRoot RCS.

10% and 20% CA solutions may have a potential to be used as a solvent for hydraulic calcium silicate sealers during endodontic retreatment.