Does cold burnishing gutta-percha create a better apical seal?

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Dental Materials Science
• Surgical Dentistry

Background:

• Apical root resection is a surgical procedure to treat persistent periapical infections.
• The quality of the apical seal is crucial for the success of endodontic treatments and apical surgery.
• Gutta-percha is a common root canal filling material, and its behavior after resection needs investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of cold burnishing exposed gutta-percha on the apical seal after root resection.
• To compare the sealing ability of burnished versus non-burnished gutta-percha in well- and poorly-obturated root canals.

Main Methods:

• Sixty single-rooted human teeth were endodontically treated and divided into well- and poorly-obturated groups.
• The apical 2 mm of the roots were resected.
• Cold burnishing was applied to the exposed gutta-percha in experimental groups.
• Linear dye penetration was used to assess the apical seal.

Main Results:

• Cold burnishing well-obturated canals resulted in a poorer apical seal compared to non-burnished controls.
• Cold burnishing poorly obturated canals improved the apical seal compared to non-burnished controls.

Conclusions:

• Cold burnishing gutta-percha after apical root resection can compromise the apical seal in well-obturated canals.
• Cold burnishing may be beneficial for improving the apical seal in cases of poor root canal obturation post-resection.