A Comparison of Coronal Tooth Discoloration Elicited by Various Endodontic Reparative Materials

The purpose of this study was to evaluate coronal tooth discoloration of ProRoot MTA (Dentsply Tulsa Dental, Johnson City, TN), white ProRoot MTA, EndoSequence Root Repair Material (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA), MTA Angelus (Angelus Solucoes Odontologicas, Londrina, Brazil), and Biodentine (Septodont, Saint Maur des Fosses, France) when used in an ex vivo pulpotomy model.

Freshly extracted mandibular third molars were collected and stored in 1% chloramine-T solution. Teeth were randomly assigned into 6 groups (n = 15) and stored individually in phosphate buffered saline at 37 °C in 100% humidity. A standardized endodontic access was made in 5 groups. A 3-mm-thick increment of reparative material was placed on the pulpal floor, covered by glass ionomer, and the access opening restored with composite. Color (Commission Internationale de l'eclairage L*a*b*) was recorded with the Vita Easy Shade spectrophotometer (VITA Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany) on the midbuccal surface at baseline; after access preparation; after material placement; and then after 1, 7, 30, and 60 days. Changes in Commission Internationale de l'eclairage L*a*b* were measured for each experimental group and compared with ProRoot MTA (positive control) and no treatment (negative control) using the following equation: ΔE = ([Li - L0*]2 + [ai - a0*]2 + [bi - b0*]2)(1/2). The mean results were analyzed within each group and between groups using the Friedman 2-way analysis post hoc test (P < .05).

There were no significant differences between white ProRoot MTA, MTA Angelus, and the positive control group. EndoSequence Root Repair Material and Biodentine produced significantly less discoloration than white ProRoot MTA, MTA Angelus, and ProRoot MTA.

Under the conditions of this study, EndoSequence and Biodentine had significantly less discoloration compared with white ProRoot MTA, MTA Angelus, and ProRoot MTA. The potential for discoloration may or may not correlate when materials are used clinically.