Obturation quality after four years of storage using the non-instrumentation technique

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the sealing quality of three root canal filling materials after four years of ageing. Obturation with the non-instrumentation technique (NIT) was compared with cold lateral condensation of gutta-percha. Seventy-six canals were endodontically treated with traditional hand instrumentation and cold lateral condensation (control) whereas 77 canals were cleansed and obturated with NIT Three different sealers were used: AH 26, AH Plus and Apexit. After obturation, the teeth were stored for four years at 37 degrees C. Coronal dye penetration was evaluated after the teeth were made transparent. The teeth cleansed and filled with the new method showed significantly less dye penetration than the hand-instrumented teeth (p < 0.001). Within the hand-obturated group, Apexit showed significantly more dye penetration (4.7 +/- 0.71 mm) (p < 0.01) than AH Plus (1.83 +/- 0.57 mm) or AH 26 (1.16 +/- 0.4 mm). No significant differences were found within the NIT groups. This study showed NIT to produce root canal fillings with significantly less coronal leakage compared to the conventional technique after four years of storage in vitro.