Effect of sterilization methods on the absorption capacity of absorbent paper points

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the influence of sterilization methods on the absorption capacity of different brands of standardized absorbent paper points. Standardized endodontic absorbent paper points from three different brands of three manufacturers were used for this study (Dentsply, Endopoints, Tanari). Twenty absorbent paper points of each size were used. The initial weight (iw) of each absorbent paper point was recorded using a digital scale. After sterilization, the dry weight (dw) of each absorbent paper point was determined. Each paper point was then introduced into a 2% methylene blue solution until complete saturation. The paper points were removed from the solution and the wet weight (ww) was determined, with absorption capacity calculated from the difference between ww-dw. The data was statistically analyzed using Tukey’s test and the Student’s t-test (p<0.05). The Tanari paper points exhibited the best absorption capacity among the brands analyzed, but the difference was non-significant. The sterilization process did not influence the absorption capacity of the absorbent paper points.