"In vitro" evaluation of the apical sealing of root canals obturated with different techniques

The purpose of this study was to compare the apical sealing of root canals obturated with different techniques. One hundred-six human mandibular incisors were submitted to instrumentation by means of the step-back technique. After instrumentation, one hundred teeth received an impermeable coating on the external surfaces of the crown and root (except for the area nearby the apical foramen). Afterwards, they were divided in five groups containing twenty elements each, according to the obturation technique employed: 1. lateral condensation with Kerr file; 2. continuous wave of condensation technique with System B; 3. thermoplasticized injectable gutta-percha technique with the Ultrafil system; 4. mechanically thermoplasticized gutta-percha with the JS Quick-Fill system and 5. thermoplasticized gutta-percha associated to a master cone with the Microseal system. The six remaining teeth were employed as negative and positive controls. After obturation, the access cavities were sealed and the teeth were immersed in aqueous 2% methylene blue dye for 72 hours at 37ºC. After that, the teeth were longitudinally sectioned and the apical microleakage was evaluated in a stereomicroscope. The Microseal system presented the best apical sealing ability, followed by System B, JS Quick-Fill, Ultrafil and the lateral condensation technique. The statistical analysis of the results demonstrated that: 1. the Microseal system presented an apical sealing similar to System B and better than the other groups; 2. System B presented better apical sealing than the lateral condensation technique, being similar to the other groups; and 3. the lateral condensation, Ultrafil and JS Quick-Fill groups demonstrated similar sealing ability.