Coronal microleakage of two root-end filling materials using a polymicrobial marker.

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Dental Materials Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Polymicrobial coronal leakage poses a significant challenge in endodontic treatment success.
• Effective coronal sealing is crucial to prevent bacterial ingress and maintain the integrity of root canal obturation.
• Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and amalgam are commonly used materials for root canal obturation, each with distinct sealing properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the polymicrobial coronal leakage of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) versus zinc-free amalgam when used as root canal obturation materials.
• To evaluate the long-term sealing efficacy of different root canal filling materials against bacterial penetration.

Main Methods:

• 108 single-rooted teeth were divided into groups and obturated with gutta-percha and one of three sealers: Diaket, AH Plus, or Ketac Endo.
• Root ends were resected, and samples were divided into subgroups obturated with either MTA or zinc-free amalgam.
• A dual-chamber leakage model was employed, using a polymicrobial marker of five facultative anaerobes to assess coronal leakage over 90 days.

Main Results:

• Samples obturated with MTA exhibited significantly less polymicrobial coronal leakage compared to those filled with amalgam (p < 0.05).
• The combination of Diaket and MTA showed the least leakage (76.9 ± 14.8 days), followed by AH Plus and MTA (66.1 ± 18.7 days).
• The Ketac Endo and amalgam group displayed the greatest leakage (40.0 ± 17.24 days).

Conclusions:

• Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) provides superior coronal sealing performance compared to zinc-free amalgam in preventing polymicrobial leakage.
• The choice of sealer in conjunction with the obturation material significantly influences the prevention of bacterial ingress.
• MTA represents a more effective material for achieving long-term coronal seal in endodontic procedures.