Coronal microleakage of 3 temporary filling materials used for endodontic treatment: an in vitro study

Most root canal treatments are performed over multiple appointments. The temporary sealing material used between sessions must have sealing properties capable of preventing microleakage. This study assessed the degree of microleakage of temporary sealing materials according to time spent blocking the access cavity. Endodontic treatments with a standardized protocol were performed on 63 healthy, single-rooted, caries-free human teeth. The teeth were divided randomly into 5 groups. Groups 1-3 were each treated with 1 of 3 sealing materials, while Group 4 and 5 served as positive and negative controls, respectively. Data was obtained and analyzed with nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square). Results indicated statistically significant differences between materials and the degree of microleakage (P = 0.000). All 3 sealing materials allowed microleakage within 48 hours, with glass ionomer cement demonstrating the most microleakage.