Longitudinal evaluation of the seal of endodontic retrofillings

The apical seal obtained with various retrofilling materials placed in prepared, extracted human anterior teeth was measured at various time intervals. Materials evaluated were cold-burnished gutta-percha, amalgam, amalgam with a cavity varnish, SuperEBA cement, and a glass ionomer restorative material (Ketac-Silver). Control groups included teeth retrofilled with either gutta-percha without sealer or TERM. The root canals were cleaned and shaped and the root ends were prepared for retrofilling. The materials were placed into the preparations and allowed to set for 24 h. Microleakage was measured at 24 h, 1, 2, and 3 wk, and 1, 2, and 3 months after insertion of the retrofilling using a fluid filtration technique. Multiple range analysis indicated that Ketac-Silver produced a significantly inferior seal when compared with the other materials at all time periods. There was no significant difference among SuperEBA, amalgam, and amalgam with a cavity varnish.