Restor Dent Endod.  2016 Feb;41(1):22-28. 10.5395/rde.2016.41.1.22.

Quality of root canal fillings using three gutta-percha obturation techniques

• Ho ES
• Chang JW
• Cheung GS

• KMID: 2316960
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5395/rde.2016.41.1.22

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The goal of this study was to compare the density of gutta-percha root fillings obturated with the following techniques: cold lateral (CL) compaction, ultrasonic lateral (UL) compaction, and warm vertical (WV) compaction.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty-three extracted mandibular first molars, with two separate mesial canals in each, were selected. After instrumentation, the canals were stratified into three groups based on canal length and curvature, and underwent obturation with one of the techniques. No sealer was used in order to avoid masking any voids. The teeth were imaged pre- and post-obturation using micro-computed tomography. The reconstructed three-dimensional images were analyzed volumetrically to determine the amount of gutta-percha present in every 2 mm segment of the canal. P values < 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance.
RESULTS
The overall mean volume fraction of gutta-percha was 68.51 +/- 6.75% for CL, 86.56 +/- 5.00% for UL, and 88.91 +/- 5.16% for WV. Significant differences were found between CL and UL and between CL and WV (p < 0.05), but not between UL and WV (p = 0.526). The gutta-percha density of the roots treated with WV and UL increased towards the coronal aspect, but this trend was not noted in the CL group.
CONCLUSIONS
WV compaction and UL compaction produced a significantly denser gutta-percha root filling than CL compaction. The density of gutta-percha was observed to increase towards the coronal aspect when the former two techniques were used.

Keyword

Lateral condensation technique; Micro-CT; Obturation; Root canal filling Ultrasonic spreader; Vertical compaction

MeSH Terms

Dental Pulp Cavity*
Gutta-Percha*
Imaging, Three-Dimensional
Masks
Molar
Tooth
Ultrasonics
Gutta-Percha

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 (a) Volume fraction of gutta-percha present in the root canal using cold lateral compaction, ultrasonic lateral compaction, and warm vertical compaction over the entire canal. The variation in this volume fraction value along the length of the root canal is shown in (b). CL, cold lateral compaction; UL, ultrasound lateral compaction; WV, warm vertical compaction.

• 

  Figure 2 The micro-computed tomography appearance of selected root canals obturated using (a) cold lateral compaction, (b) ultrasonic lateral compaction, and (c) warm vertical compaction.

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