Microleakage of adhesive resinous materials in root canals

The purpose of this study was to compare the in vitro micro-leakage resistance of adhesive resin materials to long-used zinc oxide-eugenol and epoxy resin sealers.

Seven materials, five test (Real Seal, Real Seal XT, Panavia F 2.0, Infinity Syringeable, GCEM) and two controls (Tubliseal, AH Plus), were evaluated for micro-leakage resistance in a bovine incisor root model, with 12 roots per material. Teeth were root canal treated, stored in water, artificially aged by thermal-cycling, stained with silver nitrate, sectioned to yield eight measurement points per tooth (four coronal and four apical), giving 672 measurement points. Stain penetration was measured using digital positioners and a toolmakers microscope; then analyzed using descriptive statistics, two-way analysis of variance and multiple comparisons testing (P < 0.05).

All modern adhesive resinous materials leaked significantly less than long-used zinc oxide-eugenol and epoxy resin sealers (P < 0.05). Mean leakage values and their associated (standard deviations) in mm were: Infinity Syringeable 2.5 (1.5), Real Seal XT 3.2 (1.4), Real Seal 3.4 (1.6), Panavia F 2.0 3.8 (2.7), GCEM 4.2 (1.8), Tubli-seal 5.4 (2.8), AH Plus 6.3 (2.3). Overall, more leakage occurred apically than coronally (P < 0.0001). Many materials exhibited dimensional instability: Marked contraction, expansion, or lack of cohesion.

A variety of adhesive resinous materials, endodontic sealers and crown cements, reduced micro-leakage in comparison to long and widely used zinc oxide- eugenol and epoxy sealers.