Different root canal drying protocols for AH Plus Bioceramic Sealer: An in vitro study

This study compared the bond strength of a bioceramic sealer and an epoxy resin-based sealer to root canals under different drying protocols. Seventy-two single-rooted teeth were allocated to one of three root canal drying protocols: dry; slightly moist; and wet. For each drying protocol two endodontic sealers were used: AH Plus Bioceramic Sealer (AHPB) or AH Plus (AHP) (n = 12 per combination of sealer and drying protocol). Slices of the root thirds were obtained and subjected to an immediate (1 week) and an after aging (10,000 thermal cycles) push-out test. Failure mode analysis and adhesive interface analysis were also carried out. Statistical analyses included two-way ANOVA, Tukey's post hoc test, t-test, and chi-square test. The immediate bond strength of AHP was higher than that of AHPB when the canal was slightly moist or wet. Also, a better marginal adaptation of the AHP to the root canal walls was found than that seen for AHPB. Comparing the different drying protocols within the same endodontic sealer, no differences were observed for AHP or AHPB. After aging, the bond strength decreased for AHP wet and for AHPB dry groups. Failure modes were similar among the groups. The AHP sealer demonstrated superior adhesive performance compared with AHPB, showing better results in dry root canals.