Evaluation of flow and filling of root canal sealers using different methodologies

Avaliação do escoamento e preenchimento de cimentos obturadores utilizando diferentes metodologias

Abstract

Introduction

Flow and filling ability of root canal sealers are indispensable for hermetic sealing of the root canal. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) can be used as a complementary methodology to evaluate such properties.

Objective

To evaluate the flow and filling ability of AH Plus, Endofill and Sealapex by conventional methodology and micro-CT.

Material and method

The flow of the sealers was analyzed according to ISO 6876/2012 and complemented by the area evaluation. Glass plates were manufactured with diameters of 1×1×2 mm and 1×1×1 mm (length, width and height), with a central cavity and four grooves in the horizontal and vertical directions. Each material was placed in the central cavity. Another glass plate and a metal weight were placed on the cement and kept for 10 minutes. The glass plate/sealer set was scanned using micro-CT. The flow was calculated by linear measurement of the material in the grooves. The central filling (mm³) was calculated in the central cavity and the lateral filling was measured up to 2 mm from the central cavity. Data were submitted to ANOVA/Tukey tests (α=0.05).

Result

All evaluated sealers presented flow according to ISO 6876 standards. The materials showed central cavity filling capacity higher than 80% and lateral filling greater than 75%. There was no difference in flow (mm and mm²) and in the filling ability (mm³) provided by the materials (p>0.05).

Conclusion

All evaluated root canal sealers showed adequate flow and filling capacity, suggesting their clinical application.

Descriptors:
Endodontics; dental materials; X-ray microtomography