The unpredictability of seal after post space preparation: a fluid transport study

A root canal filling remaining after post space preparation is commonly expected to provide adequate seal. Coronal leakage of 30 endodontically treated teeth was measured before post space preparation using a fluid transport assay. In 10 of these teeth post space was prepared, using a two-step procedure, first to a remaining filling of 6 mm and then to 3 mm, with the leakage studied after each step. In 10 teeth the removal was done in one step to a remaining length of 3 mm. The other 10 teeth, with intact root canal fillings, served as controls and were tested twice for leakage. A significant difference was found between the sealing ability of intact fillings and that of partially removed ones (p < 0.05). The difference between the sealing ability of 3 and 6 mm remaining length group was not statistically significant. The lack of statistical differences between the 6 mm and 3 mm fillings was due to a great variability which existed among the 3 mm remaining fillings. These results suggest that 3 to 6 mm fillings provided a seal inferior to that of intact root canal fillings. Reduction of the fillings to 3 mm resulted in an unpredictable seal.