Evaluation of canal filling after using two warm vertical gutta-percha compaction techniques in vivo: a preliminary...

To evaluate the quality of root canal filling when comparing two warm gutta-percha filling techniques in vivo.

Human teeth were randomly divided into two equal groups, with 30 canals each. The root canals were shaped by hand and ProFile 0.04 rotary instruments to size 20-40 at the end-point and then filled with gutta-percha cones and AH-Plus. In group A, a traditional warm vertical compaction technique was performed using the Touch'n Heat, and back-filling with the Obtura II. In group B, a modified warm vertical compaction technique was used: small amounts of gutta-percha were removed, and the remaining most apical 3 mm were compacted with a 1 mm movement; then thermomechanical back-filling was performed. The teeth were extracted, stored in dye, cleared, and the distance between the apex and apical limit of the filling, linear dye penetration, and voids were measured from the buccal, lingual, mesial and distal perspective. The homogeneity of variance and means was verified using Levene's test and t-test. ANOVA and Dunnett post hoc test were used to establish the significance and to analyse the effects through multiple comparisons.

Compared with the specimens of group A, the specimens of group B exhibited less mean linear dye penetration (P < 0.05), smaller void length (P < or = 0.05) and maximal width (P < or = 0.05) when examined in all four views, and a more precise filling when viewed from the buccal aspect (P < 0.05).

The modified warm vertical compaction technique with apical back-filling produced a more effective and precise three-dimensional filling.