A comparison of the effect of three endodontic sealers on adherence of mouse peritoneal macrophages

Leakage of sealer from root canals to periapical tissues during root canal obturation may occur. This study was designed to evaluate the possible effect of three root canal sealers (zinc oxide-eugenol, Grossman, and AH 26) on adherence of mouse macrophages. Macrophages were obtained from the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice and suspended in RPMI-1640 medium. Adherence capacity assays were carried out in Eppendorf tubes. Each sealer was tested four times after mixing (immediately, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours after) and for three period of incubation (10, 20, and 30 minutes) with suspended cells. Cells were counted under the light microscope, and the adherence index was determined. Zinc oxide-eugenol and Grossman sealers killed all macrophages, and the adherence index was considered less than 1 for these sealers. AH 26 reduced the adherence index in all different periods after mixing and incubation times. But in sealer that had mixed 48 hours before the experiment and with 10 minutes of incubation, the adherence index was increased slightly, but the difference was not statistically significant (P < 0.05).