Apical dye penetration with four root canal sealers and gutta-percha using longitudinal sectioning

The purpose of this study was to compare the level of apical dye penetration when different sealers were used with lateral condensation of gutta-percha. Fifty teeth with single root canals were biomechanically prepared using the step-back technique and irrigation with 15% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid with cetrimide and 1% NaOCl solutions. The teeth were divided into five groups of 10 teeth each. The control group root canals were filled with laterally condensed gutta-percha without sealer and the other four groups were filled with laterally condensed gutta-percha and either Apexit, Sealapex, Tubli-Seal, or AH-26 sealer. After storage in 100% humidity at 37 degrees C for 48 h, the root surfaces were coated with nail varnish (except at the apex), placed in 2% methylene blue dye solution, and centrifuged at 30 x g for 3 min. The roots were sectioned longitudinally to determine the following mean levels of dye penetration: AH-26, 0.48 mm; Apexit, 1.33 mm; Sealapex, 4.59 mm; Tubli-Seal, 5.58 mm; and gutta-percha alone, 7.99 mm. This study demonstrated that a root canal sealer should be used in conjunction with laterally condensed gutta-percha and that AH-26 sealer had significantly less dye penetration than the other three sealers while Apexit had significantly less dye penetration than Sealapex and Tubli-Seal. There was no significant difference between Sealapex and Tubli-Seal.