Surgical endodontic therapy: retrofilling of apex with amalgam and SuperSeal. Retrospective study

The aim of this study was to make a retrospective analysis on teeth with apicectomized roots, closed off by retrograde with amalgam and SuperSeal-Ogna® (cement oxide of zinc and eugenol modified by acidity ethoxy-benzoic acid), in order to achieve clinical evaluation and radiographic evidence of treated dental elements and surrounding tissue SuperSeal (Ogna®).

The study was conducted on 420 teeth, single and multi rooted, pertaining to 366 patients (189 women and 177 men) endodontically treated, in between 1998 and 2007. The teeth were treated with endodontic technique step-back and closed off with gutta-percha. Following the roots were apicectomyzed and then was prepared a retrograde cavity using retrotip steel mounted on the ultrasonic device. After carrying out the retrograde cavity all the samples were divided into two groups . The retrograde filling in Group A was made in Superseal, group B with amalgama. Both groups were divided in those teeths who was treated with use of optical microscope and in groups of teeths preformed without microscope.

Nevertheless amalgam against the SuperSeal offers almost the same quality of the seal and the same prognosis. However SuperSeal as a material of choice, proved excellent, for carrying out the retrograde fillings free of some side effects, such as dimensional instability, mercury poisoning and pigmentation of tissues (tattoos from amalgam).

In any case, whatever the type of material is, the operative microscope significantly affects the occurrence of failure. This demonstrates the importance of the microscope in order to obtain greater visibility and accuracy of the apex seal, more than minor sacrifice of healthy tissue.