Clinical and radiographical evaluation of a resin-based root canal sealer: a 5-year follow-up

A retrospective clinical and radiographical analysis of 5-year postendodontic treatment with a resin-based sealer (EndoRez; Ultradent Products Inc, South Jordan, UT) and gutta-percha was conducted. The results after 14 to 24 months were reported previously. Of 180 patients, 120 responded to the 5-year recall. Success of root canal treatments was based on absence of clinical symptoms, a normal or slightly widened periodontal ligament, and absence or reduction of periapical radiolucencies in patients who had preexisting lesions. Root canals had been adequately filled to the working length in 92 teeth (76.66%) and short in 13 (10.83%). Fifteen cases (12.50%), filled flush at the initiation of the experiment, showed slight resorption of the filling material at the apex within the lumen of the root canal. Of the 10 roots with extrusion, none had radiographic evidence of sealer in the periradicular tissues after 5 years. All patients were free of clinical symptoms. Four cases (3.3%) showed partial healing, whereas 8 cases (6.66%) were judged failures. A life table analysis revealed a cumulative probability of success of 86.3% at the 5-year recall with a 95% confidence interval of 79.7 to 91.0. The clinical and radiographical data suggest that the tested resin-based sealer used in conjunction with gutta-percha performed very well as a root canal sealer over a period of up to 5 years.